Paved with Good Intentions
by FourLivingCreatures
Summary: A lonely white rose spreads her vines. The N-Field surrounds her. She sets her lone eye upon the new world and is met with silver.
1. Chapter 1

She stared out at the world that greeted her.  
People spoke in a language she could understand, yet had no memory of using before.  
They dreamed dreams that had none of the connotations her seedbed had once dreamed.  
Monsters were spoken of, ones that were naught but fairytale in her last realities.

Kirakishou was alone.

There were no other Rozen Maiden to poison her, to force her to wilt and wither.  
_Yet she missed them_.  
There was no Father to reject her, to deny her a body.  
_Yet, she had a body of her own_.

She was, is, and shall always be a _Rozen Maiden_, like her sisters. But she had become more, since journeying to this world. Kirakishou had grown… _taller_.  
Or, was she of equal height to her previous world, just all humans and faunus in this world were as small as the Rozen Maiden of her original reality? She had no true way of measuring. This world had a different system of measurement. Even if she _did_, how could one compare one existence to another? No vines connected them. Everything was in disarray.

Yet all that mattered in the end was that she, an astral entity originally without a body, now possessed a physical medium due to some unknown method. Kirakishou found herself smaller than most of the adults, appearing in similar stature to the teenagers she had once seen through her mirrors, if only a little on the short side. She doubted any would question her age, once she inevitably interacted with others.

_Even the thought of being able to speak, let alone hold a conversation with others without the fear of her sisters sent a thrill down her newly-gained body._

Yet her limbs were still ball jointed. The garden still demanded nourishment. Her skin was still the synthetic resin that Father had crafted, merely hidden and disguised beneath her favoured dress and an illusion so simplistic even _with_ her limited flowerbed a petty little blossom like her could still keep retained indefinitely. Yet, she would only ever _dream _of hiding her doll body when absolutely necessary. Her appearance was the one part of father's development that Kirakishou admired more than any other, yet it was also her biggest flaw. Father had always stressed to his daughters of the dangers regarding humans who did not know of dolls. Yet that same man had ultimately forced her into a situation where her master-to-be had broken her.

Now, she was a lone seed nestled deep within a _vast_ garden of unknowns.

Rozen's Maidens simply did _not _exist in this world. _Jun_ did not exist. Rozen himself, did not exist. Not here. Even the N-Field, the field of the unconscious, now resided solely within her being. Where once she had possessed a distant flower field ripe with reflections of dreamers, appeared an almost pathetically small garden plot that felt almost barren; devoid of all but a choice few humans to sustain her. What had happened to the vast ocean of masters that she once possessed? Did they fade away, when her master-to-be betrayed her?

She had no way of knowing. All Kirakishou could do, in her pitiful current state, was _imagine._ It was a maddeningly familiar existence that had once reminded her of her captivity within the N-Field, from where she was first born and had resided for most of her life.

This world, this _reality_, was truly one that was separate from her own. She was alone. There were no split realities connecting this world to another, nor was this an illusionary world of N-Field creation. It was a simple, other world. One where she, her siblings, her father and her failed hope of a master simply did not exist and likely never would.

Yet, somehow, _she _existed now, solely. It made no sense to her. By what sorcery had she arrived in this strange, alien place?

Last she could remember, Jun had denied her confession, denied her ring. Suiseiseki had used her sister's ring to destroy the body she had woven so perilously. That she had crafted, lovingly, with her master-to-be. He had poured every ache, every pain of his meagre existence into her creation and she had welcomed him willingly when she birthed the beautiful white rose that is herself into the waking world.

Yet, to her utter disbelief, when the time had come for them to bond, he was repulsed.

_That_, more than anything, had broken her. When Suiseiseki persuaded Jun into kissing her sister's ring, she had felt Souseiseki pushing forward into consciousness. She could have fought. She could have regained her hold over the body. At that point, she'd been a walking pile of dreams and the energy of _thousands_ of masters born into the world, in a genuine Rozen Maiden body. Severing the connection of her older sister's faded soul should have been a mere thought to a being like her.

But she couldn't do it.

What was the point in such an action, to be born into a world that despises you? That fears you? She had offered to change it all, change _everything_ for Jun, so that the two of them could be happy in a world of their creation. She had split a dimension before, she could do it again. He had denied her, befouled by the lies of her supposedly more noble sister, Shinku. Why had he believed Shinku over her? Why didn't he _listen_ to her?

He'd loved Shinku, that doll. Jun could never love Kirakishou, because he was already with Shinku. It was the only plausible explanation she could come up with, and it killed her inside. All that she had done, had been for nothing. So, she had allowed herself to fall. To pass away and escape the pain of rejection.

She could still see their faces, staring at her as she died. Suigintou, who had grinned at the hopes of seeing her beloved dead master torn away from her Palace of Beginnings. Shinku, who had frowned a frown she doubted she would ever truly unravel. Suiseiseki, who yearned for her sister to return.

_And Jun_, who stood by and did nothing to alleviate her tears. He had frowned and appeared conflicted, possibly, _hopefully_, yet had ultimately done **nothing**.

So she had died.  
_Yet now she lived._

Indeed, the youngest of the Rozen Maiden had awoken in this world some two days ago, in a shipping container currently being transported across a vast sea of some kind. With her power to glimpse through reflective surfaces as limited as it may be in the waking world, Kirakishou had only been able to scope out the ship itself through lenses and the occasional moment of still water, whether it be seawater, spilled fluids or a mere bottle of water sitting in a fridge.

Yet the ability to see was pointless without the ability to influence others; a lesson that father's choosing had so deeply taught the doll. Yet how could a pale white rose influence the world, when it is starved of the very resource that all life craves?

Kirakishou was so, utterly, _hungry_. To possess only a mere fragment of her seedbed was killing her inside. She needed more, or else she would wither and become…

_Junk, a pitiful illusion._ The blonde doll gave a hollow, pathetic laugh as the memory of her eldest sister's words came flooding back to her. _Suigintou… Why did you say such hurtful words to me?_

Yet, try as she might to reach out, there was _nobody around_ who was close to their final rest, none whom she could free from their pain and lull into a peaceful dream, so that she may become as strong as her big sisters were. So that she, beautiful pale rose as she was, may be eternal. The perfect girl.

This existence felt none too dissimilar to her life in the N-Field, to a point where the doll found herself comparing the two. Trapped in a world, yet able to glimpse outside only barely, to see the world she was denied. A world of many colours, separated from her by a barrier.

Yet this barrier was only steel, it was not a border between dimensions. It was such a minor, insignificant thing in comparison to the toils she had faced beforehand. Yet, somehow, for such a thing to impede her existence frustrated her far more than the N-Field ever had. Sure, she _could_ use what small fragment of her power that her meagre seedbed had produced to summon vines and tear through this shell of metal, but what would await her on the other side? Kirakishou wasn't sure if she could handle seeing humans wearing the final expression that Jun had shown her.

No. All she could do is _wait_.

So, she allowed herself to fade into silence, into a sort of trance. One would almost call such a state to be sleeping, were she capable of experiencing dreams of her own. No. Kirakishou would only enter the dreams of others as she slept, as was Father's curse. The N-Field was a part of her, nay, it _was_ her. Yet, trapped as she was without any reflective surfaces to enter as a bridge to the dimension of dreams, even _that_ was too far for her to reach, such was apparently life as a physical manifestation.

Kirakishou didn't know whether to laugh at her freedom in defiance of Father's will, or cry her lone amber eye out.

* * *

"Hey- What?! What in the-? You there! Get out of there this instant!"

She was awoken by a man grabbing at her limbs, pulling her away. A human man, wearing one of the uniforms of naval officers she had glimpsed beforehand. He soon flinched back upon contact with her porcelain skin, likely surprised at the texture it possessed despite her visual illusion of humanity.

"...I'm sorry." Kirakishou mumbled lowly, looking down and wringing her hands. She didn't know what to say, what to do. Everything was new to her.

The light that had crawled into her dwelling strained her one, visible eye. Yet there was no constant movement that rocked her limbs, no idle smashing of waves against steel. They had docked. A choice few minds entered her pitiful impression of a dreamland, dreaming faded, drunken impressions. She welcomed their brief connections with open arms.

"W-Well, you should be sorry, miss!" the man stammered and drew her attention back to his form, puffing his chest out in a way that she had been led to believe was intimidating. "Do you have any idea what you've done?! You've-"

She interrupted his tirade with a simple, "No." and a shake of her head, blonde locks flowing either side of her and spilling all over the floor. She hated it when people yelled at her. It was a sudden discovery, yet one she believed she knew how to act upon. "What action has this rose committed to anger you, sir?" she inquired, curious, tilting her head to the side.

Just like that, all of the feigned confidence that had been wafting from the man's emotions simmered to a still. "...What do you mean, girl? Is this some kind of trick? Is that it?"

Kirakishou shook her head once more. "...It is not a trick. I found myself in this container several days ago." she answered simply. "Is it your container? Is that why you are upset? I apologise."

If anything, her prompt response seemed to cause some manner of unease to her conversational partner, though she wasn't sure. She didn't have much in the way of experience talking to humans, especially ones that were from dimensions where Rozen Maiden didn't exist. But in the ones she had witnessed through the field itself, they had wore similar expressions when in a state of distress.

"...Shit. You're not lying, are you?"

Her response was to repeat her motions from before, shaking her head. It was almost tiring to repeat herself. She wondered if this was necessary for all humans. Were the ones with animal traits, those known as faunus, any different? Those that had entered her dream world occasionally thought of them. Some as family, many as outsiders to fear.

The man swore, his colourful language barely understood by the doll. Yet, she was acutely aware they were not words that once such as herself was meant to say, so she ducked her head and glanced away.

"Here, come with me, we'll get this sorted out." he eventually spoke in a kinder, softer tone. "The captain will want to hear about this." the man paused for a second, evidently aware of her continuing silence in the matter. "You'll be alright. Come on."

She followed, curious.

The crewmate led her through various corridors as he spoke about the ship and their purpose as a cargo-freighter delivering supplies for a festival of some kind. She marvelled at the human and his ability to interact with her physically. Yet, as they passed others, they too commented on her appearance. Some gave cries of alarm at the sight of her figure, others whistled and commented phrases she couldn't understand, whilst the rest seemed content to continue with their work after the boy who had found her gave a curt explanation of her status.

Kirakishou found herself on the bridge, where she saw the captain in person for the first time, having only heard his voice on the radio when the crewmate had radioed in and explained what was going on.

"So." the man's voice was gruff, in sharp contrast to his youthful appearance. Hardened, almost. His posture screamed that he was on guard against her. Memories assaulted her of Jun's own body in such a position, whenever she neared him. It killed her inside. "You're the little stowaway that we found, eh?"

Baffled, she could only nod. It had worked so far.

"As I was saying, captain, I found her in one of the food cargo storage crates. Marked to be delivered to Vale."

The captain hummed in interest, "And the status of the cargo?"

"None, sir." was the prompt response. "At first, I'd thought she'd simply ate it all. Long trip from Vacuo, after all. But the thing was spotless. No wrappers, discarded food or any sign it had been used at all. Poor thing was freezing in there. It's a miracle she's alright, to be honest."

The two crewmembers went silent for an instant, staring at her form. The captain grunted.

"And the manifest?"

Here, the younger crewmate paused, "Fink radioed it in before. Manifest came up empty. We're not even supposed to be holding this crate, let alone delivering it halfway across Remnant. Crate I.D places it at Vacuo harbour, fifteen days ago."

The captain turned to her and his hardened expression softened marginally. "...Ah, apologies. We haven't given our names, have we? The gent who found you is Mason Titus." the man in particular nodded awkwardly, to which she repeated in the same manner, staring at him unblinkingly. "You can call me Slate. Captain Slate Cobe. Could you tell us your name, please?"

"Kirakishou." she answered simply.

The two stared at her for a moment, before exchanging looks of some sort.

"That's a very, ah… _unique_ name, miss." the man who had found her in the cargo crate, Mason, stated hesitantly.

Slate nodded along with the boy's words. "He's right. Ain't heard of a name like that before."

In response, her single amber eye narrowed ever so slightly. "...Father gave it to me. My name is beautiful." she answered curtly, agitated at the _expressions_ that had crossed their faces. She tilted her head to the side. "...Do you not like my name?"

"No! No! It's a lovely name, definitely!" Mason answered quickly, waving his hands in the air in an odd fashion she hadn't seen before. "Very nice!"

The captain, Slate, merely nodded whilst taking a step back from her. "...Well. Anyway." he paused a moment to adjust himself. "After hearing what I did, I've opted to hand over this matter to the port authorities in Vale." he paused again, eyeing her form as if gauging her for a reaction. She stared blankly, the words meaningless to her. "...We'll arrive in the hour. For the moment, you may wait on the bridge."

Kirakishou gave a low hum in acceptance as she walked out of the room per their request, drawing on what memories her dreamers possessed of this odd, guttural language.

The moment the hatch closed, the two men released the breaths they had been holding.

"...Radio Beacon's Headmaster." the captain eventually spoke, staring at the area that their impromptu passenger had been standing with a curt frown. "I am most certain he will wish to hear about this."

Mason startled at the news. "And say what, captain?" there was a silence, as the captain gave him a significant look. "... You think that girl's a huntress, or at least a student."

"It's the most likely explanation. With the Vytal festival occurring soon, many hunters and huntresses-in-training will flock to Vale, either to partake for their school or to witness the event firsthand. And you _saw_ her reactions, as I did. There's something terribly wrong with that girl. You just don't find that in civilians. She _could_ be a huntress, hell I'm hoping that all she is. If not, the academy headmaster may be the only damn person in the area with a chance of figuring this all out."

The two opted to say nothing about the _sensation_ they had experienced in her presence, when the girl became agitated over her name. It was as if all the intrinsic motions that made her simply _ceased_ momentarily and whatever entity that had stared back at them was a complete unknown. An impossibility.

"...I'll do it immediately, sir."

* * *

"Hey! Stop that faunus!"

The abrupt yell from the docks caught their attention as they rushed towards the sound, some more eagerly than others. Ruby was first on the scene, able to see a monkey-tailed blonde faunus boy rushing along the deck of the cargo ship that had pulled up at one of the docks. Various dock workers attempted to intercept him, but the boy was far too nimble, jumping off the boat and onto the port.

"You no-good stowaway!" the dockworkers yelled in outrage, as the two detectives that team RWBY had spoken with before rushed to the scene and attempted to apprehend the faunus, who had secured himself atop a lamp post, hanging off it with his tail.

_...Is that monkey-faunus really throwing bananas at people…?_ Ruby wondered, staring at the spectacle in confusion, privately wondering how her life had gotten so crazy after joining Beacon. Life in Patch wasn't nearly as insane as this.

But there was another who caught her attention. A girl, standing on the cargo ship and looking out into the distance, glancing at the scene of the faunus with a blank expression.

The girl looked like something out of a dream, with vibrant peach blonde hair that flew beautifully in the coastal wind. She wore a pale, ornately ruffled dress and tall laced boots that ran just past her knees and coloured the same fashion as her dress. An eyepatch styled like a white rose covered her right eye, with the strap likely hidden beneath her long hair, where two similar roses were interlaced like makeshift hair-ties that did little to prevent her hair from reaching her ankles.

A single amber eye locked with her own silvers for a single, infinitesimal second that seemed to stretch on for what felt like hours, before the connection was broken when the girl moved to lazily stare at the faunus boy oncemore, her expression as empty and unchanging as ever.

Ruby's breath hitched almost painfully in her throat.

She was _beautiful_. Ruby simply couldn't resist comparing the sight to when she'd first seen Weiss on Beacon's orientation day. Such an impossibly elegant appearance amidst everything else around her. With such a stark contrast to all of the grizzled dockworkers in the area, there was simply no possible way that Ruby could _not_ notice such a person.

"Hey!" the yell from the faunus who had been fleeing the ship caught her attention, "A 'no-good' stowaway would have been caught, like that other one! I'm a _great_ stowaway." he yelled out, narrowly dodging a rock thrown from one of the detectives in an attempt to make him lose his balance.

_And then he fell_.

Without hesitation the two detectives dived onto him before he could react, the bearded detective holding him down whilst the other pulled out some handcuffs.

At that moment, however, that didn't matter to Ruby.

What mattered was _how_ he'd fallen.

A thin vine, barely the size of one of her fingers and as pale as the dress that her Schnee teammate proudly wore, had seemingly grown from the lamp post and loosened the grip that the faunus had been holding onto with his tail.

"...Did anyone else just see a vine grow from that light?" Ruby's blonde-haired older sister muttered out in confusion as she eyed a seemingly impossible event, eliciting slow befuddled nods from the other spectators.

The Schnee heiress surveyed the scene with a critical look. "One would _assume_ that it would be the possible work of a semblance. Likely cast by the one person on that boat who may be of some interest to us." Weiss was quick to respond, narrowing her eyes at the girl. "She must be a contender for the tournament… Come on."

Before they could react, Weiss was marching off towards the dock. Ruby barely had a moment to realise this, before she was running after her partner, grumbling that the team leader should be the one to say where they go.


	2. Chapter 2

She was an odd one, Weiss thought.

It had been the first thing that had come to mind when she had chanced a glance at the girl before her, whom had so effortlessly assisted the authorities in assailing the stowaway faunus.

Weiss had, much to her ever-increasing dismay throughout childhood, been taught all manner of techniques in order to read those around her. At this point, it had become a matter of pride for the young Schnee. A high-stakes game, almost. One where failure meant social isolation and all manner of uncomfortable calls from Father.

There were a choice few she could not read. Ruby Rose, in particular, was an enigma to her. The girl, despite all the impossibilities that Weiss had seen, had somehow ascended to team leader and, dare she say it aloud, was swiftly growing into a leader that Weiss could respect. Yes, she had her childish moments rather frequently, but she _was_ a child after all. Yet despite such a setback, Ruby had been steadily making amends for her brash actions and improving the team as best she could.

She would have _never_ believed such a thing were she to journey back several weeks, but in the future Weiss believed that Ruby Rose would be an effective leader of Team RWBY.

Her other two teammates were easier to read, yet conversely more difficult to handle. Yang Xiao Long cared for a mere two things in this world as it would seem; her ability to live as hedonistic a lifestyle as possible and the protection of her younger sister Ruby. It was a simplistic role, yet it was one that Weiss had no such knowledge in handling and thus struggled to interpret at times. She was an annoyance, but an annoyance she had learnt to tolerate.

It, of course, helped that some of the girl's jests were rather amusing, although she'd never say such things in public. She'd never hear the end of it, such was the way of the fiery blonde. A constant ball of energy. Yang was very much like the sun, she thought. Vibrant and nurturing, but if you come close, you run the risk of being burnt to cinders.

Blake Belladonna on the other hand, was a quiet, lonely girl. The dark-haired girl was cold and abrasive, which may have something to do with why Weiss admired her as much as she did. For the most part, Blake was the perfect student. Diligent and focused. Yet there was no mistaking that _something_ had happened in her past. In was in her movements. Too alert, as if looking for danger. Judging everyone around her as if seeking a potential threat. Weiss dearly hoped that, whatever it was that had happened, wouldn't become a threat to the team.

It was just so utterly unfortunate that the aloof girl possessed what appeared to be a soft spot for the faunus people. She had been much the same in her younger years, until they became a violent, murderous sort.

Yes. Each of her teammates were their own person, possessing both flaws and unique aspects to their personality that the Schnee admired greatly. They were, despite how crass they had all acted to one-another in the beginning, _friends_.

The word alone almost made her smile.

Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long. They were her _friends_, which was why she would do her best to assist them. Such was her vow, to be the best team mate possible during her stay in Beacon Academy and, hopefully long past that.

She would do everything in her power to protect that friendship, until the very end. It was her deepest dream, at this point.

"You there." she called out as she approached the end of the pier, where the odd girl she had witnessed was walking off the ship down towards the two detectives.

A lone, too-wide slit amber eye snapped to stare at her in attention. There was a small, miniature smile on the girl's pale face, barely noticeable unless one was specifically searching her expression.

_...Is she a faunus? _Her mind wondered, questioning the sight of an eye like that. _No… A genetic defect, perhaps? Faunus do not have physical traits that manifest in the eye for their species. Only enhanced low-light perception for some, or telescopic vision for others. Nothing that changes the overall shape._

"...Ah~" the girl cooed softly, cupping her cheeks. "Who are you, that would talk to the pale white rose that is me?"

It was at this time that her team caught up with her, huffing and glaring at her for running off.

"Yo, what's the deal Weiss?" Yang called out, confused. "Didn't think you'd be the type to just up and desert us like that. Or is it that you're-" she went to leer towards the new girl, but her voice seemingly choked in her throat when she noticed the girl's singular eye had slowly slide to stare directly at her. "Eh… ah… nevermind." she mumbled out.

The heiress shook her head, ignoring the outsiders. She refocused her attention. "I'm Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and a student of Beacon Academy. These are my fellow teammates; Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long and our leader Ruby Rose. And you are?"

There was a moment of silence at the pale-dressed girl failed to respond, instead glancing at each and every one of them, as if inspecting them. When her eyes landed on Ruby, she twitched ever so slightly and her eye widened momentarily, yet the girl opted to remain silent. The dark-haired team leader in question stammered and fidgeted awkwardly at the attention.

_Oh? What was that?_

Despite her mounting curiosity at the odd mannerisms of the newcomer, etiquette demanded she respond promptly. Weiss huffed at being ignored. "Excuse me?" she raised her voice to get attention, narrowing her eyes. "I was asking a question, you know? You are being rather rude in ignoring someone who is addressing you, especially as a foreigner to an outside land."

"...Aren't you technically a foreigner as well?" Blake dryly mumbled, wishing to be anywhere but here, _especially _with the heiress taking the reigns in the manner she did.

Weiss was about to snap back a retort, when a voice caught her attention. "...This place… this… _Vale_ is so overwhelming." the odd blonde spoke as if in a daze, yet her eye remained almost scarily alert and unmoving. "There are so many people, so much culture. So many reflections of the world staring back at me. Everyone keeps moving from place to place."

"...It's only just the dock, you know." Yang interrupted as she gestured back to the larger storefronts, face scrunched up in confusion. "There's a helluva lot more to the place than just here."

The blonde-haired girl hummed thoughtfully and stepped back, her eye returning to stare unblinkingly at the Schnee heiress. "...Kirakishou."

"_What_ did you just call me?" she questioned hotly, confused at the term. Was it some form of foreign slang? It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone had saw fit to insult a Schnee using their own unique form of jargon.

This time, the girl blinked, but repeated the word. "Kirakishou. My name. Did you not desire to know of the name I was given, maiden of white snow? Father gave it to me and I made it my own."

_An odd dialect._ Weiss mused inwardly as she nodded in understanding. _Very unique, indeed. Where could she originate from? _

The other members of Team RWBY also seemed to appear equally intrigued at the girl and her mannerisms, although theirs each manifested in a different way. Ruby was staring wide-eyed at the girl and her face was flushed; gaping like a fish at a pretty girl. Weiss had seen similar expressions aimed towards her from that blonde idiot that runs team JNPR. Yang had that guarded look that she would typically send her way, when she had first grouped up with them as a team within the Emerald Forest. Blake's posture was as tense as when they'd first arrived on the dock, yet her expression remained stone-faced and disinterested. At least, it did when the ebony-haired girl wasn't sneaking glances towards the faunus that was in the process of being interrogated.

Her musings were cut short by the girl's unfathomably soft voice, one that she believed would have been more suited on one half their age rather than the girl who appeared of similar age to RWBY's team leader.

"Do you know of the _Rozen Maiden?_"

The group collectively blinked and exchanged glances with one-another, each wondering if one of them somehow was able to understand the girl's lunacy.

"Uhhhh, no… Is it some kinda story?" Yang hazarded a guess, her voice displaying just how weary she was of this strange girl. Yet if Kirakishou was aware of it, she wasn't sure. None of the girl's mannerisms were matching up with anything that Weiss had interpreted in past conversations. Which, admittedly, was a rather biased sample size. Most of her current teammates were the same in that regard, atleast at certain times.

A small, tiny frown crossed Kirakishou's face for a mere instant as she looked down sadly at the answer. "...Ah. I didn't think you would. Nobody would know of Father's work, here, would they…?" she mused softly, looking away and towards the sea as her hair blew softly in the wind.

_Is her father a celebrity or inventor of some kind?_ Weiss wondered, analysing the girl's nonsensical ramblings, _Yet one not well-known enough to have reached Vale? Preposterous. The Cross Continental Transmit System makes such a possibility almost nonexistent. Perhaps merely small fame or talent in a small town? I'll have to research this, later. _

"You there!"

The group of girls perked up at the call, hearing the familiar sound of one of the grizzled detectives they had been speaking with earlier as he waltzed up to the others. A glance over the side at his companion and the faunus was…. _walking away freely?!_

"Wha- What is the meaning of this?" Weiss demanded, glaring at the man. "Why is that faunus just… walking out? Shouldn't you be arresting him?"

Kirakishou's lone amber eye glanced over to a fuming Blake, yet the girl herself remained silent.

The detective sighed heavily, "Look, princess, the kid's got the proper papers, he just didn't want to pay for a trip. It's fine, we sorted it out. Thanks for the assist, though." he added on, glancing over Kirakishou as he lit up a cigarette. The glance lasted a slight moment too long, before he tore his gaze back to them. "Yeah… turns out the kid's actually here for the Vytal tournament, not just another stowaway. Didn't see that one coming. But, hey, anything to make the job easier."

Ruby was quick to speak up, before her increasingly-irate dark-haired teammate could voice her displeasure. "Wait, _another _stowaway? There's more?"

"A darling pale rose had no purpose in the ocean, unable to grow and bloom without the proper nutrients, so why was she there in the first place?" Kirakishou mumbled lowly, inadvertently drawing the attention of the group. Her voice trailed off into a mere whisper as her eye seemed to flicker around the area occasionally, darting this way and that. "Moh… so many..."

Weiss balked, "What?"

The detective was quick to speak up, whether to shush the irate heiress or out of frustration at listening to the blonde rose-themed girl speak in riddles, the Beacon students weren't entirely sure. "Yeah," he huffed, adjusting his clothes, "Got word that the dockworkers found a couple'a stowaways in their ship. _She_," he motioned to Kirakishou, "seems to have been an immigrant though not of her own accord, from where and how is anyone's guess. Current idea is someone knocked her out and shoved her in a shipping container, though we can't piece together a motive. We were workin' the case when the guy from _Dustful Dodger_ found his nearby store all banged up."

They glanced over at the girl in question, only to see Kirakishou staring out at the sea, utterly still and unmoving compared to all of the hectic dockworkers moving around in the background as they unloaded their gear. The only indication that she was moving, would be when her eye occasionally flickered to glance at them, yet it was clear she wasn't paying the group that much attention.

"Yeah..." the detective shrugged haphazardly as he took a long a drag of his cigarette, "She's been a bit of a, ah, _difficult_ one to handle. Speaks in riddles. Just, not kind of _there_ mentally, ya know? We're thinking trauma, or possibly an underlying condition of some kind. Though she seems to be taking quite the fancy to you lot, though. Well, slightly. She barely responds to anyone." he paused to overhear the owner from the dust shop yelling at his companion. "Ugh. Look. We're stretched thin out here with all the recent robberies. Could you lot do us all a favour and escort her to your headmaster? We _were_ going to question her first, but it's clearly not going to work out."

Weiss rolled her eyes in disbelief. "...So, _naturally_, you let off that… rapscallion of a faunus and shove the… mentally impaired patient onto us? Because you're _too busy?_" she retorted acidly, scowling furiously at them. "How-"

"_What is _wrong_ with you?!"_ Blake cried out in anger, glaring daggers at the heiress. "How can you just _stand there_ and spew such… such horrid things?!"

"_Excuse me?!" _the Schnee heiress retorted angrily, whirling around in fury. "What in the world are you even talking about?"

Blake's amber eyes narrowed as her face contorted in disbelief. "...You don't even realise, do you? You run off, spend all of this time talking and so _blatantly_ trying to mine a random girl for information, simply because you were _impressed_ that she captured a faunus who, _no matter what_, just _had_ to be a criminal in your eyes. I'm so _sick_ of watching you act like some judgemental little _brat!_"

"Wha-" the heiress stammered in surprise, utterly taken aback by the abrupt, harsh criticism from a fellow peer, "How _dare_ you! I'm your teammate!"

The others watched as both Blake and Weiss rapidly devolved into an argument, none of the onlookers wishing to intervene.

"...Look, um..." Ruby muttered awkwardly to the detective, who was more than a little uncomfortable at all the teen drama. "We'll take her. Sorry about all of this. You can, um, go back to dealing with the dust shop, if you want."

The guy nodded curtly. "Thank you. Goodluck with them. And her."

Ruby levelled a sigh as she watched two of her teammates arguing with each other over a topic she could barely understand, let alone form an opinion about.

_...Living in Vale is soooo different. Oum, I miss Patch so much right now. And Zwei._

The trip to Beacon was a... _difficult_ one. Partly due to the constant bickering between Weiss and Blake, along with the added tension with Kirakishou in the background.

Both teammates would simmer into an uneasy silence, before abruptly reengaging with a backhanded comment or somesuch nonsense that the rest of the team was, at this point, too agitated to deal with.

They'd met this weird orange-haired girl, too, but their 'introduction' was more along the lines of a hurried apology to the poor girl when Yang had bumped into her, before the group was back on their way to returning to Beacon. Ruby had muttered an apology of her own, before having to resort to using her semblance to catch up with the group when Kirakishou had wandered off with the others.

As soon as the shuttle to Beacon Academy had landed, Weiss and Blake were quick to storm off in the direction of the dormitories, leaving Yang and Ruby to deal with their blonde-haired… acquaintance? Associate? They weren't sure exactly _how_ to describe the girl.

She had, like they had all quickly realised upon first seeing her on the docks, displayed some _odd_ tendencies and it was making it difficult for the two sisters to converse with the girl. Kirakishou, or _Kira_ as they had taken to calling her, had the penchant for losing focus constantly and walked in this odd manner, one likely born to being confined in a small area for a large amount of time.

It had taken a while, but they were seeing improvements in her movements, but it was still causing some manner of difficulty to the poor girl, especially when she kept stopping and commenting on random things.

"...There are so many flowers here." she had muttered, glancing down at one of Beacon's many gardens littering the courtyard. They were mid-way through autumn currently and whilst a large amount of leaves lay on the floor, many of Beacon's plantlife had begun to bloom amidst the fallen leaves.

Ruby hadn't payed much attention to it all, until now. She wasn't much of a gardener.

"You, err, you sure talk about flowers a lot." she commented hesitantly, getting a hesitant chuckle from her sister and that same, soul-crushing silence from the odd girl. Yet her lone eye had snapped to stare at her the moment she had opened her mouth.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that!" Yang added, if only a little too quickly. "Right sis?" the blonde brawler nudged Ruby with her shoulder, getting an annoyed glare from her younger sister.

Kirakishou stared at the silver-eyed huntress a moment longer, before glancing back down.

"...Father always believed flowers were the pinnacle of beauty, so utterly enchanting with their radiance. Especially roses. So many colours, so many conflicting feelings held tightly beneath the petals. Yet each held simplicity in meaning. Purity." Kirakishou murmured in a subdued, distant accent. Crouching down to pluck a small rose from the garden, she brought it close to her face, staring intently at the pastel pink colouration. "...I miss them, you know. I know that I shouldn't. They hurt me. They did everything to ruin my dreams. But, in this world without Father, I cannot help but miss them."

Ruby blinked at the sudden solemn tone, sharing a significant look with Yang as she knelt down beside Kira, trying the best she could to be as… _welcoming_ as possible. Especially after what that detective had mentioned at the docks, she wasn't that entirely comfortable around someone as mentally _unstable_ as he had implied.

Yet that had been when she'd thought that Kirakishou was just a little bit wonky. No. Even to her, it was clear as day that the girl beside her was deeply traumatised by something. Something involving her father and… others. She…. Ruby could remember that she had acted in a similar way when she realised her mother wasn't coming back. She would block out everything, but no matter what she did or where she went, she would always be reminded of Summer. Something about this situation just resonated with her.

If Kirakishou was uncomfortable with her presence, or even _noticed_ Ruby nearby, she didn't react. It was clear that the girl was lost in her thoughts.

"Who do you mean?" she inquired softly, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, feeling the soft tingle of Kira's silken dress against her calloused hands.

Kirakishou turned to her, the single too-wide amber eye staring intently into her own silvers, there was an odd emotion fluttering in her expression that Ruby couldn't make out. But the expression had a sense of… _intimacy_, that had Ruby shyly tearing her gaze away from the blond.

"...My other darling sisters." the blonde mumbled out, voice soft as a feather. Ruby had to strain herself to hear what the girl was saying at first. "I am only the youngest of seven total, a pale rose compared to their radiance. Why did they say such mean things to me when I became like them? Why did they choose him over me? Would father have approved of him?"

"_Seven_ sisters in total?" Yang whistled in disbelief. "Did I hear that right? Sheesh. That's, err, that's certainly a lot! Wow. I can barely handle just the one sister." she responded, levelling a teasing smile at Ruby, who merely poked her tongue out at her. "I can't imagine how your parents would have handled it, I sure know our dad's probably sick of dealing with out messes now." she laughed out. Kirakishou glanced away and remained silent on the matter, to which Yang awkwardly trailed off, looking at her sister for help.

Ruby blushed in embarrassment at Yang's teasing, though she silently agreed with what her sister was implying. She couldn't imagine a family that large, especially all sisters. Just the _thought_ of _six_ Yangs instead of just the one sent a shiver down her spine. The sheer hurricane of puns she would have to deal with would drive her crazy! It'd drive _Dad_ crazy, too! Not to mention the _endless teasing _that would happen_._ Oh oum. No thanks.

But she wasn't going to voice her opinion on the matter like Yang did. No. She was more concerned with the other part of Kira's little confession. It was clear that something had happened with the girl's sisters, some unknown person and their father. Something bad. Considering how closed-off Kira was acting, it was something that had deeply effected her in some way.

"I don't know _why_ they said what they did, Kira." Ruby responded gently, briefly pausing in momentary alarm when the girl in particular flinched at the words. She steeled herself, silently ignoring the crawling feeling in her gut. "I don't know why they'd choose someone else over their own sister and I doubt I ever will. But you're here now. I, um, I know this is all new for you, but you're not going to do it alone." she paused, before placing a hand out towards Kirakishou, who looked at the appendage wearily, veering her own hands away from her ever so slightly. "We can help you get through this. If you'll let us."

There was a sudden, sharp inhale from the blonde-haired girl.

A hand, smaller than hers and far colder than what she was expecting, was soon held in her own. It felt _boney_, if that was even a word. Fragile and delicate, compared to her own calloused hands born from constant vigorous training from her meanie uncle.

"...I would like that, maiden of the red rose." she whispered. "I would like that very much."


	3. Chapter 3

Kirakishou's lone eye glanced around in bewilderment as she was led through this new world, one which spun tightly around this… _academy_ she had found herself in. Ripples stretched out with every moment, every _word_. Even in her dilapidated, physical possession housed within a _Rozen Maiden_ body, she could still feel the call of the N-Field stretching and shifting in response. She needed to feel it again, when she had the time. It reminded her of Jun.

Ruby reminded her of Jun, too.

A girl of many colours, branching and fleeting. There was a certain strength of self nestled deep within her, one that none around her possessed. Not truly. A strength that Kirakishou couldn't help admiring and craving. She was a lone, tiny soul, but hers was a soul that seemed to shine beyond the rest.

Yet unlike Jun, unlike the man she had believed her master, Ruby had agreed to bond with her. To be there for her, in Kirakishou's time of need. Kirakishou had reached out, needing, and Ruby had responded in kind. Their hands had joined and she had felt… _loved_, if only for a moment.

Even now, she could feel their bond, nurturing her _Rosa Mystica_ in a gentle, loving caress. Feeding her seedbed with a radiant, loving light. It was a weak, feeble touch, yet with time even the most pale of flowers could bloom under a dimmed light. Kirakishou herself could attest to this.

She believed that, with time, their connection may blossom into a beauty that even her darling sisters would be envious about, were they apparent in this reality. Finally, after several _hundred_ years of endless stagnation and a sudden, horrid betrayal, Kirakishou could _actually_ become like her older sisters. A living, breathing Rozen Maiden with a true master. One who loved her. One who went beyond acting as a simple seedbed for her pure form, one who could _stay with her_.

It was everything she desired and more.

There were challenges, of course, in her desires. There always would be such things present within the waking world, such was the nature of choice. But they would not hinder her. She couldn't allow it. Choice could be manipulated. The past, future and present could be bent and taught to follow her grand design. The failure with Jun had taught her to be aware of threats to her beauty. People would resist. But they would fail. They had to fail, so that she may succeed.

She would not allow anything else.

* * *

Kirakishou's hand tightened ever-so-slightly in hers. Yet, when she looked over to the girl in question, wondering what the matter was, she was simply staring off into the distance and smiling absently. Ruby couldn't help but wonder at the thoughts that were flowing through the blonde girl's head at the time. She always seemed to possess this serenity, like her head was up in the clouds and gazing down at the world in awe.

It was almost inspiring in a way, to be the very picture of calmness and serenity. She wondered how the blonde truly felt, but just _seeing_ such a relaxed expression had a similar effect on Ruby as well.

Her hand was still unbelievably cold and..._boney_ compared to her own, but Ruby couldn't deny the comforting sensation of walking hand-in-hand with someone. She hadn't something like it in years, not once after Yang had come home holding hands with a _boy_ one day. Suddenly there were _rules_ and all disgusting stuff that, to this day, still made her ears pink when she thought about it.

How was _she_ supposed to know it was some weird sign of affection to hold-hands with someone? Nobody _told_ her! All the boys and girls at school had seemed fine with it, when she asked! Oum. It had been _so_ embarrassing to realise. She just wanted that comforting feeling. Nothing weird about it.

And that was how it was with Kirakishou, or so she kept telling herself. She just wanted to give the girl, who had _clearly_ been through something traumatic, a comforting feeling. Despite the girl's quirks, Ruby had to admit she kind of enjoyed the odd way the girl spoke and her little thoughts about the world around her. When Kira had gotten so… _sombre_ at the garden, it had killed her inside, if only a little.

So, um, yes. That's all she was doing. _Comforting_.

The leers sent her way by not only Yang but her _other classmates_ certainly didn't help the matter one bit. Oum. She could already imagine the sheer number of questions she'd be getting once all of this was over. But… she didn't mind that. It was all worth it.

_Damn that girl and her beautiful face._ Ruby thought frustratingly, cheeks pink as she squeezed back, smiling at the cute little confused glance Kirakishou momentarily sent her way.

They approached Beacon Tower. Yang had saw fit to call Professor Goodwitch and explain the situation, where the deputy headmistress had commanded them to bring the 'stowaway' to see Headmaster Ozpin. _Why_ a school headmaster had anything to do with a random girl found at the docks confused her immensely, but she chalked it up to random grown-up stuff that likely didn't exactly matter to her.

As expected, the curt professor was waiting for them beside the elevator, a small ever-present frown still plastered on her face. Truth be told, Professor Goodwitch looked _exactly_ the same as she did on the day that Ruby defended the dust store. All the way down to the frustrated expression.

Honestly, Ruby didn't know whether that was a good sign, or one that spelt doom for her new friend.

"Ah, yes. You must be Kirakishou." the blonde deputy-headmistress stated, sending a calculating gaze their way. "I am Glynda Goodwitch, deputy headmistress of Beacon Academy. If you would, please follow me."

There was a pause.

"I..." Kirakishou glanced over at Ruby, her expression unsure. "I… I don't..." the blonde trailed off, seemingly conflicted.

To Ruby, it was an expression she knew all too well. "U-uhm, Miss Goodwitch?" she called out hesitantly, trying not to shiver as those _coldcoldcold_ eyes were sent her way. "I think, um, Kira might be a bit more comfortable with me by her side. If that isn't too difficult..."

The radiant smile Kirakishou sent her way was nothing short of heartwarming.

Glynda sighed heavily at the exchange, yet levelled a slow nod in response. "Very well. I trust you both to remain on your best behaviour in the presence of Headmaster Ozpin."

* * *

"...Miss, erm, Kira-kishou, thank you for coming." Ozpin spoke, briefly struggling with the name before continuing. "I would imagine your journey this afternoon has been quite the difficult one, yet it is wonderful to see that you made a friend along the way." Ozpin's gaze quickly turned away from the blonde stowaway. "Miss Rose. I see you are becoming quite the social butterfly."

Ruby felt more than a little uncomfortable as the headmaster's sharp gaze was briefly directed towards her, more specifically towards her right hand that was still intertwined with Kirakishou's own hand. She hadn't _meant_ to allow the hand-holding to continue through the school! But… she just couldn't let go. When she had attempted it, the look that Kirakishou had sent her way was nothing short of disheartening.

Her cheeks burned at the reminder of having to walk through _Beacon Academy_ of all places, hand-in-hand with an outsider. The looks that she'd gotten…! Ah, her social life was doomed! Doomed!

Ozpin's smile became a little strained as he watched the whirlpool of emotions flutter on the young Miss Rose's face over a mere conversational quip. In his brief hyperfocus on the current situation, he'd forgotten just how… socially difficult Miss Rose could be at times, despite his prior compliment. Perhaps bringing attention to Miss Rose's particular _bond_ with this unknown entity hadn't been the wisest of moves, he mused.

Kirakishou, for her part, remained almost wholly unaffected by the social _faux pas _and continued to smile warmly as she look down at their joined hands. The scene would have been sweet, were the two not currently in the middle of an interrogation.

"…Yes, a friend. One to guide and protect a beautiful flower, so that she may blossom. I could not be happier, to be bonded with my maiden of the Red Rose."

_Did you REALLY have to phrase it like that?! _Ruby thought desperately, face aflame.

Ozpin hummed conversationally, nodding his head along when socially required, though he doubted very much if either girl appreciated or even understood the gesture for what it was. Inwardly, however, he was very much intrigued in her wording. An overall flowery manner of speech, one that fit quite well with the _theme_ that Kirakishou appeared to be displaying, yet conversely did little to hide the meanings behind such words to those who were meant to understand them.

All he needed to do was understand _her_, so that he may understand her speech. As he had learnt throughout the ages, cultural appropriation and the history of a society was an important factor when attempting to understand the speech of an outsider and pave the way for diplomacy.

_And yet her words were completely alien to him_. _HIM. _

Her speech matched none of the four kingdoms. Vale, Vacuo, Atlas or even Mistral. None spoke in the way she did, nor possessed such an impossibly soft voice. Which left only the smaller towns, or the darklands. Neither of the two were culturally developed enough to create their own form of speech. With a network of _his_ size, nothing escaped his guiding sight. Yet, despite the distinct web of connections he had created through his many lives, this girl had slipped through his gaze effortlessly.

All in all, he would need more information. And, likely, a rather serious talk with one particular Branwen. It was, essentially, just another piece of work to pile on to the increasingly complicated predicament of an unannounced outsider who _just so happened_ to show up at one of the most hectic times of the year for him.

"Your arrival caused quite the stir for the port authorities, who I was told were quite upset to hear that a complete unknown had mysteriously been aboard one of their vessels. Were it not for my intervention, I do believe you would be in quite a predicament, young lady."

Kirakishou smiled lowly, the expression seeming almost out of place in the current situation. "... I caused a stir..." she muttered, voice small.

Her smile hadn't changed since he'd mentioned the consequences of her actions. If anything, she seemed almost _pleased _at the idea_. _

Seemingly oblivious to the sudden change in her new friend, Ruby quickly flustered at the jab. "It-it wasn't her fault, sir! Kira's, ah, she's just a little overwhelmed by everything. I'm sure she has a, er, reasonable explanation for everything, I'm sure! If you could _just_ listen-"

He quirked an eyebrow at the sudden outburst and Ruby immediately hushed at the gesture, paling rapidly.

"I assure you, Miss Rose, I am listening intently." He levelled a disarming smile Ruby's way as an attempt to lessen her nerves. He turned to the blonde in question. "Please, allow me to assure you as well; you are in no trouble as of this current moment. I am simply attempting to understand what has transpired this afternoon. Security in Vale is paramount in preparation for the upcoming Vytal Festival."

From what he'd been coming to expect from the situation, his words had no immediate visible effect on the young blonde. However, when Ruby's posture slackened at the admission, Kirakishou's own posture had became slightly less stiff.

_She doesn't care about what happened to the others. _Ozpin realised after a moment of thought. _Yet, conversely she was pleased at the idea of 'causing a stir' and appears to care about Miss Rose's wellbeing to some degree. Or was it just simple mimicry? Traumatised victims can exhibit such symptoms..._

"If you would be so kind as to share the tale,I am quite curious to hear just _how_ a young woman like yourself would find herself inside a cargo crate on a transport vessel headed to Vale. I would imagine it must be _quite _the tale indeed."

Ruby frowned slightly, before glancing over to Kirakishou, who had abruptly untangled their conjoined hands at Ozpin's words. Truth be told, she was also _really_ curious as to what had _actually_ happened to leave Kira in her saddened state, but she'd thought it was far too early to ask about yet. It was clear as day that the mere mention of the event had upset her... Not that she doubted Ozpin's wisdom or anything! Just… she was concerned for her friend. Heavily concerned.

"... How? How I arrived... I don't.."

Ruby didn't know _what_ exactly prompted her sudden movement, but she found herself squeezing Kirakishou's shoulder in support, the blonde jumping in surprise at the abrupt gesture.

By dust, she was a little surprised herself. "_Please_, Kira, it's okay. Please, say what you know. We can help you, but you need to _let us_. For me. I know it hurts, but remember I'm right here."

Ozpin smiled a jovial and, dare she say it, _proud_ smile. "Well said, Miss Rose."

Kirakishou slowly nodded towards Ruby, before looking down. Ozpin understood the hidden statement that lay behind her minor gestures. _Only for Ruby. _In this situation, somehow, Ruby held more control over the girl than he did. It was a remarkably odd situation for an interrogator to find himself in, yet he doubted that he would have been able to mine for any useful information in any other conceivable way.

"...My sisters..." she eventually muttered, seemingly unable to form her thoughts into a proper sentence.

In response, Ozpin levelled a questioning glance over to Ruby, who didn't seem the slightest bit surprised to hear the girl had relatives.

"She, ah, Kira mentioned that she had six other sisters when we were walking over here, sir." she supplied helpfully, though her smile was superficial at best.

_Six other sisters? _Ozpin thought, grimacing inwardly as certain painful memories briefly flooded his mind for the first time in several years. _Yikes. Yet… I recall that Jaune boy's transcript mentioning seven sisters… Poor bastard. Ah, but I'm getting off topic..._

"And what, pray tell, happened with these sisters?" he questioned intently, leaning forward and refocusing both his thoughts and the current discussion, "Were you with them, prior to the incident?"

Kirakishou gave a slow, broken nod at his words.

"They didn't like me. They insulted my dream. Called me trash. A pitiful illusion. Several came to fight me for my- f-for Jun." She gave a choked, strangled laugh as the name escaped her lips, a laugh that could barely be described as such. "They embarrassed me in front of him. Ruined my arrival. Corrupted him. I could have given him everything he desired. A world where he wouldn't be alone. Why... Why didn't he choose me? Why, of _all things,_ would he choose _them!?" _her voice became shrill in her desperation, before letting out a hiccuping sob. _"_Why didn't he help me, when I lay there calling his name?" she whispered.

Ruby somehow doubted that Kirakishou actually desired an answer to those last questions from them, or even realised she'd spoken it out loud.

Ozpin's expression softened considerably as he watched the girl essentially break down in front of him, even as her body remained almost jarringly unnerved and ramrod straight barring her lips moving and tears flowing freely.

He'd experienced similar cases over the course of his lifetime, in children either he himself or those under his command had rescued from isolated environments over the years. They weren't the prettiest of stories and a substantial amount of his time working as various government officials had been devoted to preventing such horrid situations from arising in the first place.

The children had been incapable of showing typical reactions to emotional heights or lows, simply because they _didn't know what they were_. The poor things had been isolated so severely that they hadn't picked up the proper social cues. They were feral. Little more than the grimm that walked in the darkness.

Some had recovered, through intense therapy and what amounted to pure luck. Most hadn't survived.

Yet, despite the symptoms that she had demonstrated, Kirakishou also displayed not only behaviour reminiscent to these feral children but severe emotional trauma, which should as-of-itself be impossible for one with limited emotional development to fully experience. All in all, it didn't make any kind of sense to the headmaster. How could one who was likely isolated to the point of failing basic social queues, one with an extensive family, successfully develop and then subsequently experience the loss of an emotional bond strong enough to cause such trauma?

"...Can you tell me their names? Of your sisters?" he inquired gently. He was of passing familiarity with the recently-resurfaced Arc bloodline, after all. Their naming conventions were ever-so-slightly differing to the societal norm, yet fit in enough to be culturally appropriate. If his hunch _was_ correct and Kirakishou was an Arc…

Well, suffice to say he would be having _words_ with the young Jaune Arc regarding the young man's abrupt arrival and clearly faked transcript. He had been content to let bygones be bygones for the sake of the man's bloodline and clear potential, but if the man had been fleeing a familial matter than he would have no choice but to dismiss the boy.

Kirakishou faltered slightly, one of the rare full-body reactions he had witnessed outside the ministrations born from Ruby Rose. The young Beacon student gave her a reassuring smile and Kirakishou all but wilted on the spot.

"...In order; Suigintou, Kanaria, Suiseiseki and her twin Souseiseki, Shinku and Hinaichigo. I am the youngest of all. Kirakishou. The final of Father's."

_...Well. _Ozpin thought, trading a baffled glance with Ruby Rose of all people, _Kirakishou certainly isn't of the Arc bloodline. Never in a thousand years would any of the Arc ever name their children such nonsensical names. _

Yet the question remained; if Kirakishou wasn't one of the seven Arc sisters, then where exactly _was_ her family? In these modern ages of false peace, rising grimm development and the occasional border skirmish, it was lucky for family members to be blessed with _three_ children, let alone _seven_. The Arcs, of course, were the exception for this rule. Yet somewhere out there, another family of seven sisters existed; one diverse enough to have a completely warped naming scheme. A nomadic group, mayhaps.

Kirakishou shook her head and wiped her tears, the most _humane_ action Ozpin had seen during the entirety of his discussion with the young girl. "… They're gone now. Away. With him. They will never interfere with me again. They cannot. I should be happy. But, knowing that somewhere out there, he's with… with _them…_ I feel, conflicted. Even after what he did to me."

Ruby breathed a heavy sigh, the weight of everything hitting her intensely. "Oh, Kira..." she whispered. The situation sounded all too familiar to one of the more painful breakups that her big sister Yang had been through when the two of them had been younger. For once, she'd been forced to play the big sister role and help Yang through everything, even when she herself had no clue how relationships even worked in the first place. Yang hadn't been herself for months after that.

There was a moment of silence where neither party opted to say anything, simply allowing Kirakishou to weep whilst the large metal gears above them continued to endlessly turn. Ozpin took a sip from his mug, that had been previously forgotten during the conversation. Ruby hadn't even realised he'd had it with him until that moment.

"I see you've been through quite the predicament, young lady." Ozpin said at last, his voice filled with that very same _softness_ that Ruby had heard when he'd been speaking to her after a certain incident at a dust shop. "I fear, unfortunately, that our actions had dredged up some rather painful and all-too-recent memories and added fuel to the fire, so to speak. For that, you have my apologies. That was not my intention."

Kirakishou remained still, her prior movements seemingly forgotten. "You did what you did, because it was what you would do, were a flower to arrive within this garden. You would question her. Learn of her; because that is what you would do." she stated blankly, staring his direction.

Both Ruby and Ozpin blinked at the phrase, baffled, and silently agreed to ignore the words for now. They doubted that, after the bombshell that Kirakishou had dropped, that it would probably be unwise to press the issue any more than they already had until the major situation regarding her family was resolved.

"Regardless, I can see clearly that you are of no threat to my students." Ozpin stated, much to Ruby's relief. "For now, until we can find out some relevant information on your background, you are welcome to stay within the academy. I believe you'd greatly prefer more open accommodation to any kind of… enclosed space."

A flinch, followed by a brief glare from the girl who sat beside her. The reaction spoke volumes of her displeasure at such a sudden reminder. It was a rather low blow on his side to remind her of what he assumed was a traumatic event, admittedly, but it was necessary evil to understand her trauma. _Fear of confinement_, he mentally added to his checklist.

He turned to Ruby, who had put an arm around Kirakishou in support and allowed the girl to lean into an impromptu side-hug. "From what I understand, Miss Rose, one of your teammates… Miss Belladonna, had something of a falling out with the young Miss Schnee, when you first met with Kirakishou. I was told it was quite the spectacle."

The glare she'd been giving him behind the blonde's viewpoint lessened into something resembling concern and worry. "Y-Yes, that's, um, one way to put it… but it's no biggie! Just silly girl stuff, you know what I mean! Haha!" she waved her free hand in a dismissing gesture, but the look on her face showed she wasn't entirely convinced by her own words.

Neither was Ozpin. Yet as long as the matter wasn't urgent he could negotiate around the issue with relative ease. "...As it is getting rather late, I would like you to please escort Kirakishou to room 224, which if I remember should be two doors down from your own room." at Ruby's quick nod, he turned to the blonde in question. "I shall send Miss Goodwitch in the morning to discuss what shall proceed in the future."

Kirakishou didn't nod. Or smile. She simply cocked her head to the side and leant further into a blushing Ruby's embrace, ignoring Ozpin's quizzical expression altogether. "...Proceed in the future..." she muttered.

* * *

**A/N: **  
I wish to thank you all for your follows and reviews. I'm a rather fleeting writer at the best of times, but it's warming to see that people are enjoying the story for the most parts.

To answer a few questions (looking at you, Student); Weiss acted rather hostile towards Kirakishou at the start, because Weiss is naturally a very distrusting individual. Remember, this is not the brave figure we see in later volumes of the RWBY show. This is early-volume Weiss before a lot of her character development; whom was at the docks _specifically _to look for competition in the upcoming Vytal festival. Everything quickly escalated outside of her control and she snapped at precisely the worst time.

Secondly, there are all of _two_ figures within the Rozen Maiden-verse that may or may not appear. They are all-knowing, yet they are limited. Can you name them? In regards to the Maidens themselves, they currently believe Kirakishou to be dead. If those two figures decide to, shall we say, _drop the bomb_, then who knows what can happen. For now, in the very least, Kirakishou is well and truly alone in this world.

Finally, in regards to Kirakishou's purpose... she _has_ none. She's spent her entire life trapped in the N-Field without a body. Now she has a body. Yet, when she had reached out for a Master, she was (in her own eyes) betrayed. She's a warped, twisted fragment of a soul with no real reason for even existing in the world she is currently in. And she knows it. Because that's how Father made her. It's her very being.

Thank you all, again, for your kind words and questions. Until next time.


	4. Chapter 4

Kirakishou was silent as Ruby led her to her 'dorm room' after a prompt summation as to what such a location actually entailed for the young doll. At the current moment they were standing outside what was to be her new... _room._

From what she had been able to gather, it was similar to housings found within the school in which the unwound-world Jun attended, albeit this particular institution hunted the beasts of dark that lay beyond the kingdom walls. The beasts themselves were a curiosity to her, yet in the current timeline they were of little consequence. Once she established her sanctuary and spent some more time with Ruby, she would use the N-Field to investigate the matter and the consequences that lay within action. Her protector _had_, after all, chosen the life of a student who would slay these creatures. Which would mean that it was highly possible that most instances of Ruby involved her tangling with them.

This academy was a garden of choice filled with hundreds of seedlings waiting to flourish with the proper nurturing. She needed to proceed carefully, lest she cause more harm than good.

"If you need _anything," _Ruby stressed the final word with a slight tremble to her voice, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I'm only two doors down. My team _miiiight_ be a little bit, er, _troubled_ at the moment, but I promise you I'll be here. I just need to fix this _thing_, whatever it is, with Weiss and Blake and then Team RWBY will be back to kicking grimm butt."

_...I promise you I'll be here..._

She didn't know why those particular words held such reverence to her. Nor did the doll know when exactly she'd latched her arms around the girl. Ruby squeaked at the contact, yet didn't seem to shy away from her touch. There was a certain _heat_ to the young huntress-in-training that she simply adored. Her arms found their way around Ruby's corset, fingers interlocking and pulling the red-clad reaper tightly around her.

Eventually she settled her brief flare of emotion, curling her lips upwards in that display of gratitude that humans enjoyed, a variation of the way that father had taught her. Ruby was special and deserving of special smiles. Exactly how she had seen, from the N-Field, how others express their joy when they stood outside a bedroom with their protector.

She pulled back, yet momentarily refused to let go of the girl, instead opting to stare at her longingly. An emotion bubbled in her chest that she couldn't place. "...Thank you, Ruby. For choosing to nurture a beautiful rose like me."

"H-happy to help!" Ruby chirped out in response, her voice high-pitched and face aflame. "WellnicetalkingtoyouIgottagobyeeee!" she rushed out, before speeding off in a burst of... _rose petals. _

Kirakishou stared at the retreating figure of her saviour, frowning. She ignored the inquisitive stares of the other fellow onlookers -likely students themselves- and instead focused her attention of the power that had briefly flared in front of her.

She was, of course, aware of the _semblances _that academy students possessed. When she had been originally confined aboard that cargo ship, her withered excuse for an N-Field had detected several human and faunus crewmates speaking and dreaming of that particular topic. Many were excited to witness such abilities during the upcoming festival and the hunters and huntresses attending were the focal point of many such things.

Supposedly, hunters and huntresses were able to grant one-another an _aura_, which acted as some form of protection from bodily harm during combat. Each human or faunus possessed their own unique aura, which was believed to be some form of energy taken from the soul of an individual. For this power to be of use to humanity and faunus-kind, however, it needed to be unlocked first.

The idea had been vexing to her at first. An entire group of enhanced humans and faunus with the potential to utilise their own souls only by co-operation. Comparatively, such a power bore similarity to the enhanced durability that a Rozen Maiden possessed due to their Rosa Mystica- born through Father's tireless creation. With their darling treasure, a Rozen Maiden would never _truly_ depart, only to fade into obscurity until the world turned oncemore. So to, was it, for these humans and faunus. Were it not for their aura they would be a stagnant, lonely people- none too dissimilar to the humans of her old world that she was not able to reach.

Where the Rosa Mystica were comparable to the aura of hunters and huntresses, so to was the unique power of a doll of some passing similarity to a _semblance._

Only certain students possessed a semblance; a unique power meant only for them. Students with an unlocked aura could develop a semblance following a training event of some kind. The power appeared to be tied intrinsically with the user's own personality, in most cases. The upcoming Vytal festival had led to wild speculation regarding the possible semblances that various students may possess.

_So why must it be, _she wondered,_ if each semblance is unique and tied to the personality of a user, that Ruby's personal semblance resemble Shinku's so adamantly?_

It saddened the seventh doll, to see her caretaker possessing any kind of similarity to her rotten, traitorous sister. One whom had been the centre of Jun's affections, both wound and un-wound. The doll whom had escaped her confinement and _ruined her_.

_Ruby is not Shinku. Ruby is not Shinku. _She repeated in her mind, over and over again like a mantra. _The two are nothing alike._ _She doesn't possess a Rosa Mystica. She isn't a Rozen Maiden. The Rozen Maiden are gone. They betrayed me. I am the sole survivor. My rose shall bloom without the other roses. I am free._

Why then, if that was the truth, did it make her feel so sad? Was it the betrayal that had caused her such feelings? Betrayal was such such an ugly, fetid creation. She had witnessed countless subterfuges and betrayal by the humans, through her passages in the N-Field, yet experiencing the act personally by her sisters had been a torturous affair that had evidently led to her apparent demise in that timeline. Father's Alice Game had torn her darling sisters apart, eventually culminating in the defeat of her pure self.

_This world is different. It is only the humans and faunus that can impede my growth. My sisters cannot bother me. They cannot fill the head of my host with their lies. _

Nodding to herself, she allowed her focus to move towards the door that heralded what would become her 'room'. It was a simple thing, really. Aged wood that had likely seen many students pass through its confines. It was, through a passing glance, similar to many of the other doors that adorned the dormitory of Beacon Academy.

Kirakishou had been through many doors. The N-Field often took the form of a cacophony of doors and hallways trapped within a black abyss. Such was the nature of sight for humans. Doors were passages. A material view for the web of connections that lay within the unconscious and their small souls, unknowingly joined together through the power of the N-Field.

Without a doubt, she knew that whatever lay inside this door would be a poor imitation of her Palace of Beginnings; her true home. This would be a room that had been made in mind for the humans and faunus who would see themselves in such a world. Not for one like her. Never for one like her. Simply put, nothing could compare to the world made manifest by a pure white rose, for this world would never be hers.

She touched a hand to the old oak.

How could one compare a home created by her dream? Her very birthplace. Her _desire_, given astral form. It was an entire world, an entire _dimension_, all for her and her alone. Once, she had thought it to be her jail, yet only now when she walked free and the N-Field resided within her, did she realise that she had called it Home. Father had placed her there, whether it be through neglect or charity mattered little to the doll. Not anymore.

_For the first time since the betrayal by Jun, she allowed her field to flare to life. _

_She tore the room to shreds. _

_Her being expanded beyond her. _

Kirakishou allowed her astral form to fall free from the restrictions of life, revelling in the feeling as the abyss claimed her once more. Immaterial for physical became material for metaphysical as her vines stretched and grew, nurtured by Ruby's guiding light. Her web spun a tapestry of free movement, a beautiful pale rose growing beneath lay atop her vines, sighing in contentment and bliss for the first time in what felt like an age. This was her Home. A filthy room crafted for hunters and huntresses-in-training couldn't even compare.

Ripples pooled and twisted as the world turned for her. New avenues presented themselves before her sight. Visions of others, of their dormant rooms and their sleeping minds. Distant reflections granted insight, a view of others and their hidden lives; revealed to her and _her alone. _None else would be privy to her sight, as father intended.

Beacon Academy lay bare for her, such was her range; barring a choice few minds she had touched prior to this event. Few slept at this early time, many content to remain within their own meagre rooms and speak with their peers about subjects unknown to her at the current time.

Yet she was timeless. Sleepless. Needless. Immortal. She had witnessed the development of her world after Father had left her. She had seen their cultures, experienced the souls of her sister's masters and learned their deepest memories. Each of their heart's desires nurtured her; provided her with the necessary understanding in order to survive.

She would learn of this world. _Of Remnant. _It would only take time, and she had all the time in the world.

All she needed to do, was wait until certain minds fell into her domain.

* * *

Weiss had resigned herself to an early night's rest, after the events of the afternoon. Yang and Ruby had abruptly departed; whether it be to give her some space or attempt to find their departed teammate- she knew not. She lay in her bed, staring out into the darkening sky and attempting to quell her rampant thoughts.

With the revelations that had arose, a great many things were on her mind. The arrival of the faunus from the boat and the odd blonde girl were -at the time- major concerns… yet they easily paled in comparison the Blake's inadvertent admission that had arose amid their argument over the faunus. It had brought back memories and questions that Weiss had long since attempted to bury and move past.

She knew that Father's teachings could be rather… _strict_ at times. Militant, some would say. There weren't many who would agree with his manner of understanding. After Mother's… departure, Jacques Schnee had become a hardened, frigid man. She knew this. Winter knew this. Oum, even _Whitley_ knew this. But he was their father. His word was law.

Or so she had thought, up until Winter had left one night; supposedly disgraced from the Schnee lineage in a public charity event that Weiss herself hadn't even been made aware of until she had awoken to the news of such the next day.

She had become the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company that day.

...Father had been _difficult_ ever since, yet there had still been times where he had consoled her. Comforted her in her times of need. They had simply… _lessened _over time, until Jacques Schnee had become the man he was today. Yet she could not forget how he had been there for her, helping her through her tears after Winter had 'left for the Atlesian military'. Father had taught her that outsiders could be thieves, just like the faunus, snatching up all you care for. Even him.

She had believed him. Believed everything he had to say. Yet she had seen the anger in the faunus in many of their protests throughout her childhood. Father couldn't shield her from them all, no matter how hard he tried. Was it even possible for all of that anger to just be 'animals being animals' like he had said?

Weiss had seen their rage. Seen their tears flowing from their faces as they screamed insults and tales of abuse until their throats gave out or the authorities were called.

_And Blake Belladonna was one of them. _

_Worse still, she was, or perhaps _is still, _a member of the White Fang; a terror-group solely comprised of faunus who, in father's words, were attempting to annihilate the human race from the face of the planet. _

Father had called the White Fang a group of monsters without remorse whom had targeted their family for generations. They had slaughtered members of their own Board of Directors throughout the ages. Several of which Weiss had known personally. By oum, she had been on amicable terms with some of their _kids_. She had _studied_ with them. _Laughed _with them.

She had told this, gratingly, to Blake during the end stages of their confrontation in the hopes that she would _finally_ understand the pain that she felt and the reasons why she hated the White Fang and distrusted the faunus so valiantly.

"_Well maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" _

...The words had ripped through her. Blake was out the door before she could even register the accidental confession for what it was.

She slumped in her bed, physically and mentally exhausted.

_Did we cause this?_

* * *

"Wh-"

_She knew this area. Snow whipped across her skin, twisted into a frenzy by a harsh wind. Her sight was compromised, yet she could still _see, _somehow, despite the darkness around her. Despite hiding in the treetops, overlooking a building in the distance during the dead of night. In the middle of a snowstorm. She was there and she could see. _

_It was a mountainous area. She was freezing and she hated it. She hated this mission and everything that had to do with it. _

"_Blake." _

_A harsh, guttural voice called to her from below, barely audible from this distance with the wind ripping against her ears. It was a deep, commanding voice. She wished her voice could hold such gravity._

_She jumped down without hesitation. _A tiny part of her wondering just how she-  
_-landed perfectly, mere meters away from her partner. _

_The man, clad in blacks and reds, handed her a small red crystal of fire dust, to which she clutched greedily, murmuring softly at the heat held within. _Who was-

"_Blake..." the man spoke again, repeating her name as blue eyes stared into her amber eyes with something vaguely resembling concern. "Are you alright? What did you see?" _

_She didn't deem him with a response for the first question. It had been asked a hundred times during this trip and the answer was still the same. She was fucking cold and wanted to be anywhere else but here. But she knew this mission. She knew what... _what-  
_-had to be done. _

"_...Guards are out, as you said. There's a small anterior passageway appearing slightly to the right side of the main entrance. Seems to be recently dug. Is that the one?" _

_The man stared at her for a moment, sighed, then schooled his face and nodded. It was better this way. He was more handsome when he was focused. "Yes. Our Brothers and Sisters have carved this passageway for us, so that we may slip through undetected. It should lead to a small subsection within one of the lower passageways just underneath the mine. They should be waiting on the other side of the wall for us; ready for extraction, for freedom, from these damnable slavers. There will be no danger for you. I promise you that."_

_She nodded resolutely, blushing slightly at his concern for her over a simple catch and grab. Hostage rescue. She had performed it many times now, albeit not with nearly as many hostages and during such a dangerous climate condition. Sure, they had been simulations, but it didn't matter. She was ready for this._

_Blake was a big girl and her hero was beside her. Even if he acted creepy at times. _

_/The scene SHIFTED. Colours MOVED. Fr__ag__m__e__nts Pa/SSED and CAME TOGETHER./_

_She held her arms up, barely. Bruises were rapidly forming on her body. Cuts and scrapes littered the rest of her. _

_It had been a trap. The warden had discovered the plan and had devised an ambush of his own. Dozens of faunus prisoners had greeted them on the other side. Chained to the opposite wall and staring wide-eyed towards them. Armed guards had swarmed the area immediately, several more flooding in from the very tunnel that had been supposedly dug for them. _

"_...Animals will always chase after animals. It is a cycle of life, you see. Predator and prey." she had heard a voice _Peter Tarkus _say from the side of the room, clapping sarcastically at their downed forms. The warden. "Did you both honestly think that things would be that easy? That this would be some valiant rescue? That I, of all people, would be UNPREPARED FOR FILTH LIKE THIS?!" _

_A harsh backhand. She cried out in pain, her depleted aura doing nothing to alleviate the pain from a metallic prosthetic striking bare flesh. _

"_Don't you dare touch her." _

_Adam…_

_Sharp eyes snapped to his, ablaze in fury. "...Oh? Look at what we have here, boys. A hero. Calling out for the saviour of faunus from harsh reality. Boo fucking hoo." he turned abruptly towards the chained faunus, who were watching the scene with widened eyes, "...Look at him. A mere animal that dares to walk on two legs, breaking into MY mine and giving ME orders? Hm." he paused, sending a leer their way. "But don't worry, little ones. We do not kill our criminals. Oh, oh no. We are better than you monsters. We always have been. Perhaps, in time, you all can learn from this and understand. Until then, however..." _

_The warden _Peter Tarkus_ turned towards a soldier. "...Fetch me the branding iron." _

Weiss awoke with a scream.

* * *

'_Winter… I love you. You're my big sister. You're everything to me. Whitley is a meanie. All he ever does is suck up to father. It's so annoying! He never wants to play. He just wants to do as he's told. Why… why did you leave me with him? Why did you leave ME? _

_...Why did you leave?' _

_Her hands scribbled in the notebook, tears staining the paper even as she scrunched it up into a ball and threw it into a nearby waste-paper bin. It joined many others. _

_It had been a pastime of hers. She knew Father would never allow a letter to be sent to Winter after she had left to join the Atlesian Military and renounced her ties with the Schnee family. Yet she had written her thoughts anyways. It calmed her, to imagine Winter writing back to her, telling her that she hadn't departed. That it was only temporary._

_One day, she hoped that fantasy would become a reality._

_/The scene SHIFTED. Colours MOVED. Time __age__ Pa/SSED and CAME TOGETHER./_

"_Councilman Tarkus was found deceased this morning." _

_It had been her first board meeting that she was allowed to attend. _

_Her eyes widened in horror, a gasp escaping her before she had the thought to prevent it. _

_Several sets of eyes snapped towards her in varying degrees of concern and pity. None of which seemed overly surprised at the news that her father had just delivered. Had they known already? _

_She couldn't believe her ears. She'd talked to him just last night! They had attended a dinner at his residence… ate yummy apple crumble for desert. He always had this funny smile on his face that made his eyes look wonky… Father said it was the smile of a person bad at poker. _

"_Er… Perhaps this isn't the time to be-" _

"_Be silent." her father interrupted promptly, snapping his gaze towards Councilwoman Andrea _dead_ before she could finish her request. "If your concern is regarding my daughter's attendance, it is best she hear such things now, before the media spins their webs. If at all possible, please leave the parenting to the actual parents and do your job, lest another do it for you." _

_Murmurs coloured the table for a moment, Weiss silently agreeing with her _dead_ councilwoman. She didn't want to hear this. She wanted to be outside, practising her semblance. She had just discovered how to make a-_

"_How did it occur?" _

"_...Beheading, the same as his late wife." was Jacques's prompt response. She paled. "...Coroner places the time of death at roughly 10:30pm. Thirty minutes after we departed from his house last night. I have been answering questions all night whilst Weiss and Whitley slept." _

_BEHEADING. He… his h-head… _

_More of those glances from the others council members. She was beginning to grow uncomfortable with the looks. Pitying. Worrying. But they never DID anything. They just sat there and let her cry. She wouldn't be sleeping after this. _

"_...Do we know who is responsible?" _

_Her father leaned forward. There was a calmness on his face that didn't reach his eyes. A brief, small part of her thought that it reminded her of the bad poker face-thing. But she was smart enough to see what he could feel. She could see his hands underneath the table, after all, curling into fists and shaking violently. _

_Her father either needed to go to the toilet, or he was really REALLY mad. _

"_The White Fang. They planted their own pathetic little flag on the councilman's corpse like this was some kind of victory. The flag itself has been sent to Atlas RnD for processing. Ironwood believes they can identify the persons responsible. We are prepared to use the full-force of the-"_

Blake awoke suddenly, rocketing forward in her makeshift bed and clutching her chest in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart.

It did little to soothe her.


	5. Chapter 5

Headmaster Ozpin sat within his office high atop Beacon Tower, his very own seat of power within Vale, tirelessly working through a recent batch of student transcripts from the neighbouring factions and comparing their data with those from his own Academy. With the Vytal festival mere days away, the papers themselves had already been processed by various members of staff, yet with the recent events ongoing Ozpin had decided it best to reassess the student's files in order to search for any... suspicious students.

None of them stood out to him. Everything seemed perfectly fine.

It was _infuriating_.

Salem was planning something. That much had been laid out very clearly when she sent one of her own to attack the Fall Maiden, Amber. Qrow, whom had arrived on the scene and had witnessed the assailant using a form of buglike grimm in order to harvest Amber's power. Such a thing had immediately pegged Salem as the mastermind behind the attack. Anything involving the grimm acting in an unusual manner ultimately indicated Salem's involvement in some manner.

And yet, through his sudden arrival on the scene and his own quick thinking, Qrow had prevented the assailant from fully harvesting Amber's power.

Ozpin knew, without a doubt, that Salem would most certainly _not_ be satisfied with one of her pawns only having a mere fraction of a Maiden's power. His adversary would demand nothing less than perfection. He also doubted that anyone both corrupt and ambitious enough to work under Salem would be able to accept only a mere portion of the Fall Maiden's power alone.

Were it not for James Ironwood's impressive technological advances, Ozpin believed Amber would have been long dead by now. State-of-the-art Atlesian medical technology was keeping her in a state of suspended animation until such a time came where they were able to either develop a counter to improve Amber's condition or apprehend her assailant and remove her stolen power forcefully.

Even now, she slept, deep underneath Beacon Academy. Almost directly underneath his very own office in fact. A morbid part of him wondered exactly how the girl's mind was processing everything. The power of a Maiden connected to a user's aura. Their very soul. To have such a thing _ripped apart and stolen_ was easily the most barbaric and cruel assault Ozpin had ever heard of.

Amber had experienced a tough life. Gaining the Fall Maiden's powers had only made things tougher for the poor girl. He had done everything he could to train her, yet she was a fierce spirit and had been distrusting of authority figures from the very beginning. Despite these setbacks, she had learnt and trained from her hardships, emerging a capable and strong woman. Ozpin had been content in knowing that she would be safe, for the most part.

_Queen takes pawn._

He sighed bitterly, taking a moment to sip from his nearly depleted cup of hot cocoa.

It would do little to dwell on the road not taken. He needed to focus his thoughts on the future of all people. Of all the people living in the world of Remnant, he knew this fact all too well.

The elevator _dinged_ suddenly, drawing his attention away from his wayward thoughts. He levelled a tired glance at the sight of Glynda Goodwitch, knowing exactly why she had decided to visit him at a time when most would be asleep with their rooms.

He had witnessed a similar expression on her face several nights ago, following his interrogation of one Ruby Rose after an incident in downtown Vale.

"...Glynda. I see you've been informed of the newcomer we have in our halls." he drawled, reshuffling the student transcripts on his desk. "Cocoa?"

The blonde deputy headmistress shook her head at the offer for a drink. It was clear she wasn't here for a social visit. "It is hard _not_ to hear of her. Many of the students in my final class this afternoon were speaking of a new girl walking hand-in-hand with _Ruby Rose_ of all people."

Ozpin chuckled slightly at the mention of that particular event. Ah. To be young again. With the strange girl's mindset as… warped as he had been led to believe, Ozpin wasn't entirely certain if there had been any romantic intent held within the rather intimate gesture. But considering how aflame the young Miss Rose's face had been at the mere mention of such, it was clear that Ruby had believed it to be an affectionate notion; one she was blatantly under-prepared for. Summer had been much the same in her younger years.

Truly, the girl was exactly the same as her mother. A carbon copy, down to her very appearance and reactions. Why, he could easily remember Summer's face whenever somebody would attempt to flirt with her. She would turn this impressive shade of fire-engine red. The young Miss Rose had been much the same with Kirakishou during his conversation with the duo.

"It is true, Glynda. Though I doubt you've come to speak with me in the dead of night about young love, of all things."

Ah. Damn, there it was. The infamous Glynda Glare. How long had it been since he'd experienced it? A week, perhaps? Maybe two weeks? Ideally, Ozpin had been hoping to go the month without agitating the deputy headmistress, yet certain events had complicated things. Barty would be insufferable once he heard of this. He should never have taken that stupid bet in the first place.

"...You know _exactly_ why I'm here." she grated out. "Why in the _world_ would you consider adding a new student right before the Vytal Festival? This is the busiest time of the year, academically speaking, and the introduction of a single student will throw off the team balancing."

He levelled a small smile her way, sipping contently from his mug. "She's not a _student_, Glynda."

"What?"

"_She's not a student_." he repeated. "Not here. Not anywhere. Kirakishou isn't anybody, technically speaking. Her name doesn't appear in the citizenship records for any of the major cities, nor has Qrow heard of her before. Which leaves one of the smaller towns outside my reach. Even then, her face has never been seen, nor captured on any camera in the city prior to her sudden appearance this afternoon."

Progressively throughout his impromptu information disclosure, he'd been watching as Glynda's eyes widened at his words. With good reason, as well. In this day and age, in partial thanks to the recent technological advancements, it was borderline unheard of for _anybody_ to be a complete unknown to any major government system. There had always been a trail of some kind for those with the right know-how to follow. In the very least, those who attempted to hide their identity would _never_ suddenly change their mind and appear during a major event like the Vytal festival- unless something had changed to force them into such an action.

Kirakishou's apparent falling out with her sisters and that 'Jun' fellow she had mentioned in their prior discussion had likely been the cause for this sudden emotional collapse. The event had warped her mentally and twisted her into the sorry state she was in. In response, she had latched on to Ruby after the girl had shown her a kindness. Ruby, the poor innocent soul that she was, had accepted the situation with open arms.

"...Then," Glynda began to ask before pausing as if choosing her words. "If this girl isn't an academy student here early for the Vytal festival nor does she have _any_ manner of identification -as impossible as that is to believe-, _why _is she here exactly?" she questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

Ozpin chuckled lightly, drawing another glare from the deputy headmistress. He'd been trying to figure out that particular question for the better part of an afternoon and likely still would have been mulling over the information at his disposal, were it not for these damnable student transcripts.

"I believe she was sent here by someone."

Just like that, all of the conflict that had been brewing from the irate deputy headmistress faded, replaced with a stern concern for her students.

"...I see."

Ozpin understood the wording for what it was. He continued. "Moreso, it appears that Kirakishou isn't aware of her purpose here, nor is she aware of how exactly she arrived. She was either unconscious for the most of her transport, drugged, or the memories have been erased in some manner. I haven't been able to determine exactly which is true, at the current moment. Hopefully, in time the truth shall reveal itself."

The blonde hummed thoughtfully at his words, pacing back and forth as she contemplated the information presented to her.

"Do you suspect that this girl is part of... _her_ faction?"

Ozpin gave a noncommittal shrug in response. "There is no way of telling at this stage." he answered lowly, gazing into the distance. "With the Vytal festival just down the road, there's a certain possibility of Kirakishou's involvement that I cannot ignore. I have Qrow looking into _her_ faction at the current time and he is expected to report back soon enough. Until then, we cannot rule out that Kirakishou may be involved with this." he paused a moment, then sighed. "Which, conversely, means we _also_ cannot rule out the possibility that she may have been sent by a third party."

It had been an idea that had been weighing heavily in his mind as of late. His quarrels with Salem aside, there were still other forces out there, waiting for the precise moment to strike. The White Fang, for instance, had arisen ever-so-slowly and his responses to their actions had been rather delayed as he'd been too preoccupied dealing with Salem's endless schemes.

If a third, outside party _were_ to exist outside his gaze and were responsible for Kirakishou's sudden arrival in Vale, then it would be in the best interests of all involved for him to get to the bottom of this as quick as he could. As his past had shown, it required a particularly traumatic life to create an existence even slightly similar to the one Kirakishou possessed. Using her experience as a base, it was clear that _if _such a third party existed, they would stoop to something as low as utilising impressionable children for their goals.

He sincerely doubted that their intentions were _honourable_, if that was the case.

Considering the rapidly paling appearance of Glynda Goodwitch, she too understood the grave ramifications were his musings to be proved correct.

"You're suggesting the possibility that there is another organisation that possesses a vested interest in the Vytal festival. One that arranged for this girl to arrive. One possessing enough foresight to cover their tracks to such a degree as to erase a girl's identity across all known government sources." she summarised, earning a curt nod from the headmaster. "...I do not like this, Ozpin. First the Fall Maiden is attacked, a silver-eyed girl is inducted into the academy; _Summer's own daughter no less_ and _now_ an unknown girl arrives with _no_ identity- one who is apparently sleeping comfortably in Beacon's dorm rooms as we speak."

She levelled a tired glare his direction. "I do not even know _where_ to begin."

Ouch. Two Glynda Glares in a single day. He silently wondered if Barty would demand a higher payment for the bet, now.

He sipped his hot cocoa. The last of his hot cocoa, unfortunately.

"We do have some form of a trail to follow, thankfully. Tell me, are you aware of _where _exactly Kirakishou was found by Team RWBY this afternoon?"

Glynda shook her head.

"...It was at the Vale docks, just downtown. Apparently, the young girl was suspected acting as a stowaway on one of the food transport ships from Vacuo. She had been found within one of the cargo crates on board. Common enough occurrence these days, why the team leader of team SSSN of Haven Academy had also stowed away on that same ship, though when questioned he appeared to possess no knowledge of Kirakishou herself. However, the VPD associates sent to investigate the scene were later led to believe the girl had been placed there not of her own volition. Human trafficking, essentially. Albeit with only a single passenger."

The deputy headmistress frowned heavily. "...I see. And, considering that the ship manifest logs all incoming and outgoing cargo, you're hoping to investigate the manifest and see if that can lead you to the perpetrators, whether they're _her_ faction, human traffickers or others with a more… _ulterior_ motive."

He smiled her way. "Precisely. I have contacted port authorities in Vacuo and they're inspecting the outgoing manifest for the ship itself, along with Vale's port authorities to double-check for any inconsistencies. It's only a matter of time until they find something of use."

The blonde teacher nodded slowly. "...And until such a time arrives where they can uncover whatever it is you're searching for, what exactly did you have in mind for her? We can't exactly allow a potential threat to simply stay at Beacon Academy during the Vytal festival. If she's-"

"That's exactly what I'm going to be doing, Glynda." he cut in forcefully, cutting off her rant immediately.

Her eyes narrowed. "But the students will-"

"-Be fine." he answered before she could finish. "I have spoken with both Kirakishou and Miss Rose regarding the matter and, for all intents and purposes, I can see that it would be in our best interests to keep the two girls close together. Ruby has, through her… _unique_ form of charisma, bonded rather tightly with her. Separating the two would only cause undue strife."

Glynda, sharp-witted as she was, immediately saw through his words. The disproving frown on her face was as plain as day. "...You're intending to use their friendship to mine this… Kira-girl for information."

There was no point in denying it.  
He gave a curt nod.  
If anything, that only served to make Glynda's frown grow.

Privately, he was glad he hadn't made a bet on Glynda's constant frowns. Although he knew none would take the bet. It was a fool's bet, through and through.

* * *

Ruby's scroll buzzed softly near her countertop; thankfully kept silent as to keep the sleeping heiress, well, _asleep_. She, most certainly, did not want to be the cause of waking up Weiss early in the morning after she had gone to bed so utterly late after all of the chaos that had occurred yesterday.

Yang was snoring up a storm, as was usual. It had taken her blonde sister a tad longer to fall asleep, but she'd eventually succumbed. Ruby knew her sister- she was a heavy sleeper, especially in comparison to the heiress. It would take a lot to wake her up. Especially on a weekend.

Which left only little Ruby.

She yawned, stretching about in order to ease the tension that had been building in her body. If she were being honest with herself, it would be just about time for her to get up and start the day. But every time she tried, she kept replaying the events of Weiss and Blake's fight over and over in her mind.

There had simply been too many revelations yesterday and she was having trouble dealing with it all, even after a surprisingly restful sleep the previous night.

But at least _some_ good had come from yesterday's events. It had seemed like Jaune's team had finally realised he was having a bit of a bullying problem and they'd probably be able to sort it out. They had _Pyrrha freaking Nikos_ on the team, for Oum's sake. That girl could crush Cardin Winchester's team in her sleep, probably.

Kirakishou had been a welcome surprise, as well. She was so… _bizarre_, yet Ruby couldn't help but be reminded of her own first day in Signal Academy. Everyone had thought she was a weird kid and had given her a lot of space, but she'd eventually found some people she had been proud to call 'friends'. Even through the whole idea had been set up by Uncle Qrow. But still!

….She didn't want to think about it.

Ruby was glad to have met Kira. Even if it had been a weird circumstance without any outside interference. With Kira staying at Beacon until Headmaster Ozpin did… whatever it was he was planning to do with her, she was essentially a new student. Though Ruby wasn't entirely sure if she had to attend classes… or was even a huntress-in-training at all. She had a semblance, though; those weird white vine things, so Kira _probably_ was a trainee.

She yawned as she got up, following her daily early-morning routine. Get clothes. Get to bathroom before Yang. Bask in the bliss that is a scolding hot shower. Dry. Change into clothes. Brush teeth. It was an endless cycle and borderline automatic for the young Rose nowadays. One of the few things that Ruby didn't have to worry about.

Everything else was all such a weird _mess _right now. Blake was missing. Weiss was Weiss. Yang would be fretting constantly. Plus she had all these… well, _thoughts_ about someone. About a _girl. _She didn't know if she even leaned that way, but with the feelings she was feeling just after a simple introduction… Ruby knew she shouldn't be thinking such things about someone she had just met. _Especially_ someone who had clearly just recently been through something dramatic, but she couldn't help herself.

Nothing made sense anymore. Which, oddly enough, was becoming the norm around Beacon Academy these days. She wondered if it had something to do with growing up. The whole world changing around you, or something. Ruby couldn't help but question what her parents had to deal with when _they_ were growing up. If it was anything like what she was dealing with, it was a wonder they- it was a wonder dad was so… well-adjusted.

That was it! She needed to adjust! After all, she was the leader of team RWBY. If she couldn't adjust to the constant madness of academy life as a social introvert, then what kind of team leader would she be? Certainly not a very good one!

With that she needed to-

Her scroll buzzed again. _Oh!_ She'd forgotten that she'd gotten a notification before. Oum. She hoped it wasn't anything important. She scrambled for the small device, carefully tiptoeing around the slumbering Schnee heiress and departing as quietly as she could.

_06:58 NEW MESSAGE  
Headmaster Ozpin; Goodmorning, Miss Rose. For the time being, your friend Kirakishou shall be staying with Beacon Academy's wall, until such a time comes until we're able to discover her origins. I have thought the matter over intently and decided it would be for the best if Kirakishou stayed with someone she was comfortable with during her time here. She shall attend classes and learn what it means to be a Huntress. _

Ruby blinked at the odd text, a little surprised to actually see one that was written properly. Along with more than a little uncomfortable that the headmaster of _Beacon freaking Academy_ was texting her private scroll on a Sunday morning. But regardless she could understand where the headmaster was coming from. She was (her cheeks coloured a the thought) rather... close with Kirakishou and it seemed that the blonde had put her faith in Ruby.

_07:08 NEW MESSAGE_

_Headmaster Ozpin; As such, I have attached a copy of her student transcript to this message, as it appears Kirakishou is without a scroll at the current time and, I believe, it would be best for a friend to hand her the information and assist her with the learning process. I have utmost faith that you are up to the task, Miss Rose. We do not, as of this date, know of her academic background. Whilst she is not a student per-say, her compliance with the student curriculum will be expected. If you find that Kirakishou is struggling with the tasks assigned to her, please notify a staff member immediately. _

Attached was, as the headmaster had stated, Kirakishou's course transcript; detailing the various classes she would be attending each day throughout the week.

It was identical to hers. Exact classes at the exact time. Were it not for Kira's name printed at the transcript, the young huntress-in-training would have thought she was staring at her own transcript.

Part of her mind was leaping for joy at the idea of getting to spend some _quality bonding time_ with a girl that she could get along with easily. Quite often, as well, considering their schedules were so alike. But the rest of her was wondering if she truly _was_ up to the task. She'd never really… consoled someone, outside of her sister of course. With Kira, she kinda just said what _sounded_ right to her and it kinda just worked out. Somehow. She'd been thinking of what her mother would say to her to calm her down as a kid, when she had been scared of storms.

She didn't know if she could keep doing that with Kira. Ruby felt that, _eventually_, she'd end up bumbling with her words and ruining everything. Especially _right now_, with everything that was going on with Blake and Weiss. Ah! There was so much to do. Once Monday arrived they'd be back in class early morning and Ruby was wondering if they'd even _find_ Blake in time, let alone convince her to come back in time for class. If the _Headmaster _had noticed immediately, she'd imagine that the other teachers would catch on quickly.

Even if she _had_ used to be some kind of evil ninja, or whatever it was the White Fang were. Ruby somehow doubted Blake _still_ was with them. Weren't they sworn enemies of the Schnee Dust Company or something? Sure, Blake was a little snarky with the heiress on the first day they'd arrived, but she'd been rather tame after that. There hadn't been any fights or anything.

Oh! Is it alright to use the word 'tame'? Or is that racist or something? Ah! So many questions!

She shook her head. There were too many things to focus on at the moment and none of them could be fixed if she just stood there bumbling around like an idiot. Weiss would berate her endlessly about it and she'd be extra crabby this morning. _Noooo thank you! _

With that she-

Huh. There was a pretty large group of people here. In the hallway. At seven in the morning on a Sunday. It was just her luck, too, that they were crowded near Kirakishou's room. Ugh. It was still early enough that a few of them were still wearing their pyjamas and were pretty sleepy by the looks of things. But most of them were chatting about something strange that was ahead.

Worry for her new friend surged through her tiny body. She pushed through the crowd of people with all the force of a valiant team leader on a mission. Well, less pushed more so awkwardly shuffled though, but still! It counted.

...She could see _why_ exactly there was a small crowd amassing around Kira's room. Vines appeared to be growing from underneath the door itself, needle thin vines the colour of ash that seemed to burrow into the floor below. Some had crept up the walls on either side, appearing similar to pale, eerie veins.

It was uncanny as all hell, to say the least.

She cursed her damnable Rose luck when the precise moment she had pushed her way to the front of the crowd was _of course_ the very same moment that the door to Kira's room opened.


	6. Chapter 6

Kirakishou gazed into silver pools, uncertainty swimming in the eyes of the red-clad reaper that stood before her amid the crowd of students. Many had gathered before her room, no doubt drawn to the beginnings of the N-Field's physical representation within the waking world. Some had slept within it the previous night, after all.

Her poor seedbed, broken and clinging to life as it was, could only sustain so few. Especially when its powers were being used for a purpose as intense as hers. With what she had planned, she would need to nurture every seedling to its fullest potential.

Even the smallest of souls.

Many eyes turned to her. Questions were spoken. Some kind, some concerned, some forward and untoward. Most were silent; contemplative. None mattered, bar her small little reaper. They were insignificant in the current timeline- she could see that now. Faceless existences meant only to fulfil their role. Nothing more. She had no use for blank slates in their current state.

"..._K-Kira...?_" a tentative murmur amidst a sea of voices, one she heard all too well.

She reached out.

Ruby's hand was soft in her own. Warm. She admired the texture that her senses registered from her reaper. It was so very different to her doll physiology, that which was hidden behind her illusion of humanity. Outside of the N-Field, Kirakishou had only experienced the sense of touch with only a single other human; _Jun_. Her advances towards the man whom would have been her master had been met with apprehension and scorn. Looking back at it now, it was easy to spot the differences between how Jun had reacted to her touch in comparison to her dear crimson rose.

Ruby was quite different to Jun in that regard. The young huntress-in-training surrendered to her ministrations with all the grace of a blushing maiden, one uniquely ambivalent towards the outside world when held under Kirakishou's watchful eye. Ruby's singular focus on her was as intoxicating as it was addictive. To witness such yearning desire brimming within those silver pools sent a shiver down her host body.

In that singular moment, nothing else mattered. Neither the humans nor faunus that crowded around her room were of any consequence. Not the vines that continued to grow as her influence spread throughout the academy. They were all pointless. Ambience hidden behind a mounting crescendo.

It was just them.

"...Ruby."

She was surprised to find her voice sounding equally as tentative as her young red rose maiden's had been. Ruby had been… _missed_, during the N-Field's expansion. Sleeping ever so deeply, Kirakishou hadn't dared harvest from her darling. She had felt alone. Unbound. Yet hand in hand now, their bond grew once more. Power surged through her dimension, nourishing her special garden of souls in a way none other could.

A unique power flowed within Ruby's spiritual being. Kirakishou knew this, now that she had rooted her power and sampled others. Hers was a pure, guiding light. Exactly what her Palace of Beginnings desired. Exactly what _she_ desired. Now that she had tasted this sensation, she had found herself wanting.

The red-hooded figure eventually noticed the onlookers and fidgeted under the attention- withering and shifting as the eyes of her fellow peers turned to her and inadvertently ruined their minor moment of solace. Kirakishou may have been beyond their judgements, but the small soul of Ruby Rose could only endure for a certain period of time before she was weighed down by their stares.

"Come."

Ruby could only nod wordlessly, shivering uncomfortably from the social pressure. Her cheeks coloured a vibrant red hue, one Kirakishou had come to associate with many of her interactions with the young reaper. Her red rose was one that was embarrassed easily and shied away from others, yet conversely was a soul that freely opened and bonded with any whom would listen to her song.

The onlooking students allowed them to pass without complaint. She knew they would. Many of those she passed were already hers, from a certain perspective. They would dance to the tune they desired and the N-Field would in turn record their movements for her viewing pleasure. She doubted their would be much in they way of divergence, nor any ripples created from their thoughts and aspirations. They would amount to nothing more than what they were now, as nothing was more important than mediocrity to such souls.

Perhaps, in the future, they would prove useful to her. For now, though, Kirakishou was satisfied in simply forcing them to give her and Ruby some time alone.

Once away from the crowd and past several hallways, only then did Ruby begin to take charge; faltering in their movements and forcing her to stand still. A confrontation. Kirakishou admired the look in her eyes. So sharp. So curious, yet riddled with an anxiety and doubt that she continued to endure though.

Weak, yet strong. The soul truly was a fickle thing.

"Kira… what, what _was_ that… with the door? And the vines? Was it your semblance?"

She smiled lowly, cupping her cheeks and cocking her head to the side. Father had always stated that such movements were cute. Personally she had come to adore the actions herself. Hopefully her darling would think much the same. Even if _Father_ was a backstabbing faceless entity nowadays, Ruby was still as human as Rozen had once been and could likely appreciate such movements.

"Ah~ So forceful..." she muttered demurely, her voice shy and soft.

She hadn't expected Ruby to widen her eyes comically and her face to redden further. Her red rose was so emotive. Possibly more than most of her dear sisters. Perhaps moreso than the pleasantry of Kanaria, if such a thing was even possible. Thankfully, her red rose reaper did not possess a verbal tic like her older sister. She did not desire for any more associations between the girl in front of her and the beings that had betrayed her.

She decided to voice her feelings aloud.

"I admire you, Ruby."

Ruby blinked, taken off guard by her words. "Y-You do?" she stammered.

Kirakishou nodded wordlessly, taking a step forward in her own gesture of assertiveness. Ruby attempted to move backwards, only to find her back clashing against the wall. The young rose blushed at the close proximity of their bodies.

"You tread where others would flee." Kirakishou whispered, eyeing the twin silver pools of her beloved rose. "You reach out and grasp at the world. You bond with others, despite who you are. Regardless of your fear. Despite everything you've suffered, you _care,_ Ruby. About everything and everyone. Nothing is beyond you, because of that. It is a trait few possess, in this world and the next. A pale rose is beyond grateful to have one such as you, tending to them."

Ruby was silent, her eyes occasionally flickering down to Kirakishou's lips as she spoke, no doubt mesmerised by her beautiful words. The young reaper was too flustered to even respond to the words on her own, such was the sway that Kirakishou held over her.

_Her breath is warm. _Kirakishou studied her reaper's features for any sign of distress. _Heavy. Frantic. This conversation makes her uncomfortable. No. She is uncomfortable with closeness. Intimacy. Bonding. She yearns for what she fears. She fears because she hasn't experienced it. _

_Lonely. Yet wanting._

The irony of the situation was not lost to the doll. Ruby Rose had trapped herself in her insecurities, just as Father had trapped himself in his single-minded desire to resurrect his darling Alice. The young rose's desire had been awful similar to the desire that had led to her conception. Perhaps such was why she could connect so intently with the little reaper, why her garden could harvest Ruby's strength without a contract even in its dilapidated state. The nature of a bond such as this was an alien concept to the both of them, yet it was one Kirakishou wished to explore further.

Father had been alone, no matter how many dolls he created. His ambition consumed him, until he became the creature his is now. Kirakishou would not allow her darling red rose to be consumed by her inaction.

Ruby would bond with her. She had promised to be there for her, after all. Yet to bond successfully was a two person process. Kirakishou could understand this revelation, after the failure with Jun and her sisters. Give and take.

"...Have you resolved-"

"Ruby!"

The abrupt shout from nearby broke their entranced state, Ruby involuntarily pushing her away as she started in embarrassment at the sound of her elder sister.

Kirakishou levelled a glance at the blonde brawler, clad in a casual attire. She did not bother to turn her head, merely eyeing the girl wearily. Yang's eyes had flashed crimson for a fleeting instance, much to her inner confusion. Did she possess a semblance which allowed her eyes to change to different colours? Whatever could be the use of such a pointless change? Yang's original lilac colouration was far superior to the bloodied crimson orbs she had witnessed. They reminded her far too much of her elder sister Suigintou and her own twin pools of red.

"_-nothing but Junk! A pitiful illusion!"_

The words rang painfully in her mind. Repeating endlessly. A broken record with no purpose to serve. Constant, horrible words. Useless useless useless. How dare she. She who had been father's first creation, a simple _beta test _modelled to hold Father's sins so that he may craft unhindered by the likes of angst and fear. Who gave Suigintou of all dolls the authority to mock _her_ in her _own palace?!_ All over a sickly girl that had begged for death.

With a start of surprise, the doll abruptly realised her hands had clenched into fists and her lone eyes had narrowed. In _fury_. An emotion Kirakishou had seen only in others. She quickly glanced away from her darling rose, who did not deserve to witness her horrid expression. She had known the definition of what such an emotion alluded to how she had felt. Although, Kirakishou had not believed her pure form to be capable of such things.

...Was even the fleeting reminder of her black rose sister strong enough to cause such distress?

Or had it been the sight of Yang's sudden arrival, interrupting her meeting with her darling rose?

How could she tell? How could she understand?

* * *

Yang stood there in the hallway, more than a little stunned at the situation she had inadvertently stumbled into during her morning journey to the cafeteria. Her mind had been a mess after the recent argument between Weiss and Blake the night prior, where her dark-haired teammate had revealed she'd been part of the _White Fang _of all things. It had been complete chaos. Just to imagine the shy little girl that Yang had chanced upon in the Emerald Forest had been a _terrorist_ at one part in her life was… well, startling, to say the least.

Typically she'd be pissed at the heiress for essentially starting all of this nonsense with her racist comments towards the faunus, but after hearing the poor girl's screams last night, she was more than willing to cut the girl some slack. It was clear she was suffering inside, she was just that damnningly annoying type that held everything back and put up a facade. To be frank, she should have realised it sooner. Of course being an heiress to some huge corporation would make for a wacky childhood. It was just… the girl was so crabby it was difficult to actually emphasise with her at times.

How Ruby had slept through all of that hassle was anyone's guess. Her baby sister wasn't even that heavy of a sleeper. Especially compared to _her_. Yet even Yang had been awoken by the heiress multiple times the previous night.

It was as if everything had suddenly all turned to shit in what was essentially a single 24 hour window. All she wanted was for it all to go back to how things were, before… before Kirakishou had arrived.

The logical side of her knew it wasn't Kirakishou's fault for this. That she was just projecting onto the first girl she saw. Kirakishou hadn't made Weiss a racist, she hadn't made Blake say those things or become Ruby's sudden… _crush _of her own choosing. Everybody had already been like that in the past, _especially_ Ruby. Her younger sister had always been a little bit wild with emotions and a huge part of her had dreaded what would happen once she stumbled into a relationship.

Kirakishou's only fault had been showing up at the precise _wrong_ time.

Worse still- her sister was still so _young_. Ruby was so _innocent_. She'd expected the hand-holding of course, the cute cute pet names and cuddles... things like that. Witnessing her little sister pinned up against the wall in such a… raunchy manner wasn't something she was going to be forgetting anytime soon. Especially by someone who was not quite there mentally. Yang wasn't even entirely sure if Kirakishou knew what she was doing, let alone if she was doing it on purpose.

When Ruby had returned from her meeting with the headmaster, she'd been cagey with the details, but she'd been able to gather that _something_ had happened with Kirakishou and Ruby had a major role to play. Discovering the girl walking in Beacon's halls with her younger sister had been a surprise to say the least. The girl was easily a few lien short of a card. She'd expected Kira to be in a hospital or something.

Not _here. _

"Yang! I-" Ruby squeaked in flustered surprise, pushing away from the cherry-blonde girl to stare embarrassingly at her sister. "This isn't what it looks like! Really!"

"So you _weren't_ being thrown up against the wall like in some trashy romance flick?" she deadpanned, levelling her best sisterly glare towards Ruby.

Honestly. She'd been trying to avoid the sarcasm. _Really trying_. But come on.

As Yang had come to expect from her sister in anything to do with Kirakishou, Ruby's blush intensified, looking away and muttering something. She had to strain herself to hear it.

"_...I just… I just wanted to give her the class transcript, okay..." _she mumbled out dejectedly.

Senses flaring in sudden alarm, Yang snapped her gaze over to her fellow blonde at the abrupt killing intent flooding off her in waves. Kirakishou's single eye had narrowed considerably and her hands had clenched into tiny fists. The dazed smile that typically adorned her face had flattened into a blank expression.

Whilst her head hadn't moved from facing Ruby, that singular golden eye of hers had locked on to the blonde brawler herself.

Yang had originally pegged Kirakishou as a weird, crazy little girl. A fool with memory problems. But in that single moment, she wondered exactly what kind of creature was hiding underneath the beautiful appearance and fragmented speech.

Just as quickly as it occurred, the girl blinked and forcefully relaxed as she quickly glanced away, looking almost surprised at herself. The smile soon readily adorned her face oncemore, before turning her head fully to glance in her direction as if nothing had happened. Everything had shifted so suddenly that Yang was left partially wondering if it had even occurred in the first place.

Well, she _would_ have likely discarded it as a trick of the light or something, were it not for the memory of Kirakishou's glare running clear in her mind.

Kirakishou turned to her baby sister. Yang felt the sudden protective urge to rush forwards, only to stop herself at the last second.

"You needn't do such a thing for a pale rose, dearest Ruby." she sang sweetly, cupping the girl's cheeks much to Ruby's obvious embarrassment. "A pale rose will always follow her Ruby. Ozpin would allow nothing else, because she would not be here without her Ruby."

_Ozpin? The headmaster? Is he involved in all of this somehow? _Yang wondered disbelievingly as she watched her fellow blonde turn her younger sister into a puddle of embarrassment, _What in the world is she talking about? Is this another one of her funky speeches, or is something else going on? _

One thing was for certain, however. Yang would be having a serious talk with her beloved younger sister once the two were alone. It was clear that this was more than just one of Ruby's petty crushes. She knew, after all, that Ruby had probably never dealt with someone who was _actually _interested in returning her affections. Yet with Kirakishou's… _trauma_ of some kind messing with things, she wanted to make sure her sister knew what she was getting into.

Before everything went to shit and her sister ended up heartbroken.

Kirakishou, putting it lightly, was a bit of a mental case in her eyes. Whether it be the flowery speech pattern, the odd eyepatch or her sudden arrival and supposed insertion into Beacon Academy, it was clear that there was simply too many odd things surrounding the girl for Yang to ever approve of Kira entering a relationship with her younger sister. Ruby was simply too young to deal with this and it fell on her as the big sister to sort everything out.

Unfortunately, Yang knew better than anyone else how exactly her little sister operates. This wasn't going to be easy. Not in the slightest. Oum, she wished at least _one_ of their mothers was still there to sort everything out. She wasn't equipped to deal with this. Though she certainly wouldn't be going to Dad about this. Her sister would never date again.

"I, Kira please.." Ruby whined, tentatively pushing the white-clad blonde girl away from her even as she kept sneaking embarrassed glances over at her sister. "N-Not, um. Not here. Please. Not now."

Kirakishou faltered slightly, before finally stepping back. The poor thing actually looked surprised at Ruby's request. The expression was so out of place Yang couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever actually been focused enough on someone to be effected by how they feel. She didn't strike Yang as someone with that many friends. Hell, Yang herself was as open to people as most could be and even _she_ was having some difficulty listening to the bizarre girl.

Perhaps because she was-

No.

_Especially _because said girl was blatantly seducing her younger sister.

"I think what Rubes is saying is that she's more concerned about finding- er-" Yang tried to interject, only to abruptly realise that it probably wasn't the best idea to blab about team issues to a girl with a suspicious past they'd randomly met _yesterday_.

The glare that Ruby sent her way was as adorable as it was infuriated. She probably hadn't wanted to get Kirakishou involved with the whole ordeal. Whoops.

Her sister sighed softly, putting a hand to her head. "I'm sorry, Kira. We just have a few issues with one of our team members at the moment and, well, Yang's right. I need to get back to fixing it. It's my duty as a team leader. We'll talk later, okay? I'll see you in class on Monday!"

Kirakishou stared at the retreating forms of the two sisters. When they were about to turn a corner and depart from her sight, Yang glanced back her way, an unreadable expression on the blonde sister's face. A moment later and Kirakishou was left standing alone in the hallway.

In that precise moment, she discovered something about herself. A unique facet about her personality that had only developed in light of her presence within the waking world.

She did _not _like being interrupted. Especially over an event that she had already taken upon herself to resolve.

* * *

Her night had been a terrible one.

The dreams had kept coming. One after another. Distant memories that confused the faunus more than answered any of her questions. It would have been an all-around typical night were it not for one singular fact that had utterly confounded her.

_The memories weren't hers. _

_They were the memories of her teammate, Weiss freaking SCHNEE. _

_Why did this have to happen to her?! _

Why of _all times_, did this have to happen to her _now_? After the argument she'd had a day earlier with the Schnee heiress where Blake had inadvertently revealed not only her faunus heritage but her connections with the White Fang. Oh Oum. Her teammates must be so confused. Hell, _she_ was confused about it all, too.

At first, Blake had surmised it to be a night terror. An oddly specific one, but nothing to be concerned about. It had taken a tad longer than the faunus would have hoped, but she'd eventually fallen back asleep, regardless of how odd that particular dream had struck her at the time.

_Yet they kept happening. _

Over and over again. Small snippets of Weiss' early childhood. Interactions with various family members, for good and for worse. Arguments over a variety of things. Her mother's downward spiral into alcoholism. Whitley's absolute failure in anything even partially related to common decency. Winter leaving for Atlas. Weiss facing a possessed suit of armour as her father passively watched, knowing deep within her core that her father had _arranged everything _even as she was powerless to voice her concerns.

Time and time again. Over and over, all throughout the night until roughly four in the morning, where Blake had _finally_ been able to get a few hours of peaceful sleep before Sun had inadvertently awoken her with one of his hijinks and she'd yelled at him for his idiocy. She'd felt terrible all morning after that, but her mind had been so utterly frazzled at the time she couldn't stop herself.

Eventually, she'd calmed down and researched the names that her mind had recalled from the dream, in the off chance that her dreams hadn't just been random night terrors conjured up from a guilty conscious. Some of the names she could vaguely recall from her time spent in the White Fang, yet others were a complete unknown to her. For all her dislike of the Schnee family name, she'd had no clue that Weiss even _had_ a brother and sister, let alone one who'd become an Atlesian Specialist under the direct command of General Ironwood himself. She'd expected the names conjured in her bizarre dreams to be nothing but nonsense at first.

_Until every single name had proven correct. _

Jacques Schnee. Whitley Schnee. Every single painful detail involving her mother had been correct, too, even if she'd had to dig rather deep for even a _mention_ of the woman.

The worst of all had been the history of Peter Tarkus- the man whom had branded her former partner, Adam, with that damnable Schnee Dust Company logo. She could remember the mission almost as if it had happened yesterday. It had been her first major outing and it had highlighted the cruelty of humans- especially those within the employ of the SDC.

She had surmised the man to be something akin to a stereotypical villain out of a child's storybook.

To see that he'd been a loving husband and father fuelled by grief, through the eyes of _his surrogate daughter as she cried over his tombstone_, had been more than a shock for the young feline faunus. Even now, _somehow,_ she could precisely picture the man comforting a young Weiss over one of her constant bouts with Whitley Schnee. Weren't dreams supposed to fade with time? Even if said dreams were supposed memory fragments from somebody else?

Weiss had privately yearned for Peter Tarkus to have been her actual father, instead of the monster that was _Jacques Schnee_. That much was obvious. The sheer level of abuse that he'd put his daughter through bore an uncanny resemblance to those that Adam had inflicted upon Blake herself; emotional manipulation behind a friendly facade. It was a miracle in its own right that Weiss hadn't become a carbon copy of the man, like Whitley apparently was on the path to becoming.

...Like she had almost become with Adam.

But the question still hung there in her mind, her rampant curiosity fuelling her fire.

_Why. _

_Why did she have the memories of her teammate? Why now? _

She wondered if she would ever truly understand it. If this wasn't some bizarre series of events and Weiss actually _had_ lived such a life... well.

All that Blake was certain of, was that there _had_ to be a connection between her heated argument with Weiss the night before and her sudden acquisition of the heiress' childhood memories. There was no doubt in her mind.

Were that the case... Blake would admit to feeling some manner of regret for the snooty heiress and the things that she had said during their fight. Of all things, _compassion for her _was something she'd never imagined she would ever feel upon joining a team with the heiress in tow. As her mother used to say, life worked in mysterious ways.

To think that her life would take such a turn after she'd halfheartedly agreed to a walk through the docks with-

_With her team. Where they'd met that strange girl. _

Part of her wondered exactly what travesty had occurred to create such a bizarre mockery of a person, twisted and turned into the broken shell that had spoke her dreamlike sentences with her innocent little team leader. She hoped the girl could get some help in the future.

She had met similar people during her time in the White Fang. Survivors of bandit raids or freed faunus rescued from the Schnee dust mines. Blake would typically encounter them in batches of two to four at a time after most of her missions.

Most of which had been indoctrinated by Adam's silver tongue. Others had died. Yet they all paled in comparison to the girl they had met on the docks, the afternoon before everything had gone to shit.

Kirakishou belonged to the third type of victim that the White Fang would rescue.

Those who had witnessed events that had left long-lasting scars deep within their minds. Twisted them. Turned them into something else. Once Blake had left the White Fang, she'd hoped to never see such a sorry state of person ever again.

_...And I left my team there with her. Hah. Teammate of the year right here._

* * *

**A/N:  
**Thank you all for your continued appreciation of this little story. Apologies for the delay. Typically, I write two chapters ahead so that in the event of tragedy or other nonsense, there is always some more content to upload. Chapter 8 proved to be a difficult little thing.

Reviews are appreciated. This is admittedly unknown territory that I've stepped in, but I look forward to seeing how everyone reacts to future events.


	7. Chapter 7

Kirakishou eyed the potentials critically as various images of their delicate states filtered in from her lounging within the N-Field. With the field expanding at an exponential growth rate as she was continuously fed life force or _'aura'_ as these people called it, courtesy of her darling rose, the N-Field itself was creating new pocket dimensions to house the unconscious thoughts and desires of new potential seedlings.

_Pure creation. _

_New worlds birthed to hold wilting seedlings._

_Poor unfortunate selves._

It was beyond beauty. Beyond tragedy. The sheer emotion held within was as dazzling as it was overpowering. Their hopes. Dreams. Fears. Desires. All were reinforced by the nature of aura, yet confined in failing bodies.

A red half-crescent moon shined above a beautiful night sky filled with constellations unfamiliar to her own world, bathing the fragmented ground below with a soft crimson glow. Terrain was beginning to form; a rocky terrace of sorts, yet for the most part it was far from completed. Were it not for her white rose vines providing a passageway, she would be limited in her perceptions.

Complex constructs of the mind did not exist yet. Gravity did not exist yet. Nothing truly existed yet, except a canvas for with which a pure rose could begin her work.

Were it not for the relative position of this pocket dimension in lieu to her targets and her dearest, she would never have set foot in an underdeveloped garden in fear of upsetting the delicate ecosystem with her pure state. The worlds that developed from the unconscious minds of those trapped within the white-laden rooms of human illness known as 'hospitals' held a peculiar appeal that was oftentimes outside the perceptions of those living a healthy life.

Many of the sickly had been confined to their chambers and, thus, were left with only their imagination to guide them through their torment until they ultimately wilted and became _junk_. Yet, now that she had moved her physical presence closer to the city of Vale and thus its hospitals, if Kirakishou were able to time things correctly she may save a choice few of these valiant souls from extermination.

She was shaking. Trembling in her seat.

Those whom were close to the end. She would save them. Hold them tight. They would rest within her Palace of Beginnings, forever. Her seedbed had grown restless without Ruby's presence, after all. Even the connection they maintained could not nurture her garden in its current state of use. It was an uncomfortable sensation. Kirakishou would be quite pleased once it was completed.

It was time to reach out and grasp anew so that she may return to her darling, reinvigorated and blossoming with new and old life. _Beacon Academy_ was a combat school, after all. If she were to impress her red rose maiden, she would need to manifest her powers in the physical world, rather than continue to manipulate the metaphysical. Such sights were overlooked by her darling, as was the nature of humans.

Of particular interest to the _Rozen Maiden_ were those humanoids whom were able to generate an aura. Former hunters or huntresses that had sustained an illness or injury and were on the precipice of defeat. Their souls flared like miniature beacons to her garden. Once assimilated, they would provide a nurturing grace similar to that of Ruby herself, albeit in a limited sense. They were, after all, merely fertiliser in the end.

She would treasure their sacrifices regardless of their sordid state. Kirakishou wondered how many in her position would do the same. They would sleep forever, peacefully, rather than becoming junk as was destined for _so many others_.

Too many.

In her previous timeline, in the _wound _and _unwound_ worlds featuring Jun and her fellow sisters, Kirakishou had been limited to collecting former masters to use as seedlings for her special garden. Opening oneself up and exposing ones innermost desires to the _Rozen Maiden_ via bonding with a contract seal had enabled Kirakishou to guide her darling power deep within their souls and harvest the vast energy held within. Such had been the way in which she had continued to exist without a physical form.

A mere shadow of a girl, grasping at weakened strings in an effort to keep herself alive.

It had been a fragile, sordid state, but it had been how she got by. Attaining a true _Rozen Maiden_ body had been a blessing the likes of which she had doubted she would ever receive.

_Now, _however, in this world where warriors of all ages wielded their souls like weapons and armour… such actions needn't require any special action on her part. And yet, as she had found out from her time in Beacon Academy, there were those whom even the might of the N-Field could not grasp. Not _yet_, that is.

Plants may require sunlight for nurturing warmth, but even they aren't able to handle the inferno of tortured lament held withing the maiden who slumbered beneath. Not when the powers of others held her within her own personal nightmare. Unable to move on. Unable to think. Nothing but the pain of a fractured existence there to feel. It had brought back horrid memories.

Her first years within the N-Field had been much the same. Weak. Fragile. Weighed down by the actions of those supposed to protect her.

She had wept for hours within her room, without Ruby there to personally console her. Yet her red rose maiden was a courageous soul. Kirakishou had learnt of such through the girl's dreams. Nothing stopped her from fighting for her goal. She would do much the same for Ruby. She would be strong for her dearest.

Kirakishou would not allow one failure to ruin her. She would not allow Jun's betrayal to kill her. She would keep moving forward. Stagnation had ruined so many souls. She would not allow her own to suffer a similar fate.

Originally she had believed that once she had acquired a true, _Rozen Maiden_ body to call her own, harvests would no longer be necessary for a continued existence. Now that she was able to walk on her own two feet like her darling sisters, even Father's final creation found herself weighed down by the might of her ever-growing soul.

As it would appear, housing the entirety of the N-Field within her small figure was proving to be a rather troublesome venture even after giving her Palace of Beginnings a dimensional anchor in what would have been her academy dorm room. A typical _Rozen Maiden _body simply wasn't meant to handle the weight of an entire dimension residing within it. Were she to continue to allow things to degrade, she would find her body collapsing in on itself under the strain, similar to how the false doll had fallen.

Thus, Kirakishou would be forced to continue her harvest as the N-Field continued to expand inside her. Yet, the harvest was not for a singular yield. What would provide once would provide again and again. She could use the first transfer for a goal far more noble than simple sustenance. She owed her dearest that much.

Sometimes, it was better to put others first before yourself. Ruby had taught her that.

_With a pulse of her power, she sent her white-laden rose vines through the portals. _

She watched through the very same portals as her vines threaded around each of the victims, tentatively pulling at their withered, ill-stricken souls. None fought her. None _could_ fight her, not in their state.

Kirakishou had learnt that humans (and likely the faunus of this world) typically fought against what they could not understand. It was in their nature to reject change. Jun had fought her tooth and nail, even if she had held positive intentions towards her would-be Master. Thus, a firm hand was required to complete her goal. Without her darling sisters to get in the way, things would be far different this time around.

Alarms blared throughout the hospital as patients began to flatline. She tuned out the particularly agitating sound made manifest by the machines connected to her potentials. It would serve no purpose other than alerting humans whom would be far too late to cause any notable damage to her precious ones. By the time that hospital staff investigated the matter, she would be long gone.

Besides.

There simply weren't enough staff available in order to attend to a harvest of her magnitude.

They could not hurt her. They could not interfere.

With a smile on her face, she retreated from her position within the hospital's pocket dimension. It would not last long without new minds to keep it afloat. Besides, her attention was needed elsewhere.

For this next part, she would require complete concentration. Her Palace of Beginnings was about to get a few new tenants, after all.

* * *

Team RWBY didn't see or hear from Kirakishou for the rest of the day, following Ruby giving the girl her class schedule earlier in the morning. Ruby had been in a foul mood ever since she had been forced to depart.

For both Weiss and Yang, the two were rather glad to be rid of the girl momentarily. Whilst they both were quite certain that the blonde would eventually see them again (if only to speak with Ruby- the two are admittedly rather close) the girl had simply met them at a bad time and they didn't want to deal with her for their own reasons.

In Yang's mind, the reason was quite simple; she didn't agree with the blonde girl's romantic intentions towards her baby sister. She had come out of nowhere and immediately formed a close bond with her sister when she'd promised Kira that 'she'd be there for her'. Whatever the hell that meant. Something to do with the girl's janky past most likely.

She couldn't make heads or tails of it personally, yet her baby sister had somehow managed to translate the crazy speech into something that concerned her enough to throw a fit about it.

Too much drama. Plus she was, quite frankly, annoying. If she had to hear any more horrid flower phrases she was going to lose her freaking marbles. Even worse was the fact that Ruby seemed to _enjoy_ her, weirdness and all. She didn't understand how someone could handle being around that deranged girl for more than five minutes without wanting to scream at her to _speak fucking normally_. Oum.

She was a poisonous person, especially to her younger sister. Why didn't Ruby _get it? _Why couldn't she _see? _Yang had certainly had her fair share of toxic relationships over the years. She could recognise the signs fairly easily. She just hoped that eventually her baby sister realised it eventually. For now, though, with Ruby in her funk there wasn't much she could do.

Weiss found herself on a different train of thought to the fuming brawler. She didn't exactly _disapprove_ of Ruby's budding relationship with the damaged girl following what little information she'd been able to discern from Yang's rather loud argument with Ruby that had erupted soon after she'd woken up.

It was clear to Weiss, in the very least, that her team leader wasn't going to be backing down no matter what Yang screamed at her. So, she might as well use her talents as a valuable member of Team RWBY to assist in the matter. Such was her duty. She was... just looking after her friend, after all.

Oum. That dolt had become her friend, hadn't she?

Research into the statements she had heard from Kirakishou concerning the '_Rozen Maiden'_ had turned up nothing. Whilst there was ample information regarding _maidens_ and _roses_(the closest possible search term), there didn't appear to be any notable information connected to the work of Kirakishou's father. Merely fairy tales that she had heard a dozen times over. Nothing of interest. Overall, she had spent the better part of the morning completely wasting her time attempting to discern what was likely the work of a craftsman or somesuch nonsense in a small village.

After her horrid night, perhaps it hadn't been the best idea to immediately delve into researching. The resulting headache had warranted a quick check-up from the school nurse and, thankfully, medication to quell the nausea.

A quick departure from the dorms (if only for peace of mind in the morning) had did little to quell the flood of random snippets of half-truths and hyperbole surrounding the odd blonde girl and her budding relationship with their weapons fanatic of a team leader.

According to a brief accounts courtesy of multiple students within Beacon during breakfast, there had been a rather bizarre occurrence surrounding the girl's dorm room. Whilst Weiss admittedly was curious about the supposed vines growing out of the walls as she'd heard, the heiress was much more interested in the fact that the girl was _afforded a dorm room in Beacon Academy. _

Such would imply she had either become a student of Beacon in a similar fashion as her younger team leader had worked her way inside the academy, or that she had taken up lodging for some other ulterior motive. Regardless of which, it was clear that Ruby and Kira's meeting with Professor Ozpin had resulted in this _unique_ outcome.

But the heiress had bigger things to focus on at the current time than some odd teen drama, even if such drama involved the leader of her team. This business with Kirakishou could wait until the current situation was resolved. She had done her part and would consult with her leader at a later date. For now, she needed to focus on the immediate situation.

The fact remained that Blake Belladonna was still missing from the school. Whilst the ebon-haired girl was lucky that her disappearance hadn't seemingly been noticed by the weekend staff, once Monday classes began there would be several _questions_ asked their way.

Team RWBY, (the remaining members, in the very least) had mutually decided to amount a search for their missing teammate through the downtown Vale area.

"...I still think we should have asked Kira for help. I don't like just… _leaving_ her there like that. It feels wrong." Ruby muttered lowly, a downtrodden expression on her face that had been there for the better part of the day.

Weiss resisted the urge to groan as the trio of girls walked through the docks in search of their missing teammate. The two sisters had only _just_ got back to talking with eachother. Even then, it was mostly in clipped sentences. She could already see Yang rearing up to make a counter-claim. Honestly. It was as if she was the only sane member in the whole damn school sometimes.

"Regardless of your, ahem, _pledge_..." Weiss began, pausing momentarily to find the proper word for what amounted to a sudden on-the-spot declaration in her eyes. "Everybody needs their space. You can't be around her all the time, Ruby. You'd drive her crazy."

Ruby's cheeks puffed out in childish indignation. "No I wouldn't!" she retorted hotly, glaring fiercely her way. It was actually quite adorable. "...At least, I-I don't think I would…" she trailed off, unsure.

Yang snorted distastefully, drawing a hot glare from her younger sister. Weiss shot her own glare towards the blonde brawler, begging her to not to interfere. _You're not helping, Yang. Please don't. _She thought, wishing above everything that the girl took the hint.

Thankfully, the elder sister remained silent and averted her eyes, one of the few things Weiss was truly grateful for in her life. Although somehow she doubted that the blonde brawler was remaining silent for her sake. She got the impression that a truly incensed Xiao Long would be neigh impossible to calm down. Especially with that blasted semblance of hers.

"_Regardless._" she continued, if only to avoid any potential bickering, "We have other matters of more importance to take care of, don't you agree? I am sure Kira will be fine for a few hours. It is our imperative to dedicate as much time as possible into trying to find Blake and sort out this whole mess before the Academy catches wind of what's going on."

Ruby shot her a confused look. "...I don't mean to, erm, ruin things… but, er… you're kinda a little too into trying to find Blake, you know? It's practically been all you've talked about today. I just thought you'd be a little more.. um, I dunno… _hesitant?_"

The heiress gave a low sigh as she glanced down, thoughts of the horrid dreams running rampant in her mind. Weiss noticed that her hands had balled into fists and forced them to relax.

"We do not know the full story, Ruby. I don't exactly know what _impression_ you have of me, but I am not one to pass judgement without first knowing the full story. Yes, Blake is a faunus. That much is obvious now. Yes, she clearly has ties to the White Fang group, or atleast had ties at one point in her life. However, she is first and foremost _our teammate_. The White Fang are a _supremacist group_, Ruby. They wouldn't be sending their associates into huntsman academies without a good reason. I intend to find out exactly _what_ actions have led to her admittance."

The two sisters nodded along at her words. Weiss gave an internal sigh of relief as they seemingly bought into her improvised speech. They were, after all, her thoughts on the matter. Just not _all_ of her thoughts regarding Blake.

It wouldn't do to have two of the most impulsive girls she had ever met suddenly start worrying for her. Especially whilst they were arguing. The two would end up fighting over her and further destabilising their team dynamic.

No.

She needed answers. True answers. And, loathe as she was to admit it, Blake Belladonna was her only hope in ever having her questions answered in a way that didn't ruin everything she had built here in Beacon Academy.

_...What are you hiding from us, Blake Belladonna? Why are you here? _

_How exactly did I dream of your memories? Is it true? Are they real?_

_If so… How in oum's name could you endure all that pain and still continue to fight? _

"Who are we looking for?" an exuberant voice called out, ripping the young heiress from her downtrodden thoughts.

* * *

Ruby found herself in a… debacle.

Yes. Debacle. She could actually use that word in something that wasn't a school essay. It was one of _those_ days, as much as she hated to admit it. Ruby thought that this kind of thing was past her by now. Guess not.

Her sister wasn't listening to her thoughts. As was becoming alarmingly common for Yang ever since she was accepted into Beacon Academy. Typically, Ruby accepted it for the most part. To be fair, she was a rather sheltered kid despite her best efforts and she knew that Yang was simply doing her best to look out for her and provide guidance. She'd been the same ever since… ever since Mom had disappeared.

_She's dead, Ruby._

Yang had taken up the mantle, as she so often liked to call it. She had done her best to help Ruby grow into a strong person, even when she herself was still developing. The logical side of Ruby understood that. Respected it, even.

_Yet it's just so f-fudging annoying, oum damn it. _

As the younger sister, as the _kid_, her words were treated with a grain of salt. Nobody listened to her, not truly. Not as _Ruby Rose_, but either _lil sis_ or the '_weird scythe girl_'. Nobody respected her words or listened to her actions. Not truly. They would hear them, of course, feign that they were listening and actually caring about what she had to say, only to completely ignore it afterwards. Not when her pefect sister was there.

It had happened so damn much that by the time she found herself in Signal Academy she had spent the better part of a semester attempting to find people that would listen to her. Even _if_ she actually hated the whole 'socialisation' aspect of things, she had _needed it_. The friendships she had personally forged would have lasted a lifetime.

_Until she had joined Beacon Academy two years earlier than normal. _

She had tried to keep in contact with her friends. Scroll reception had always been rather weak near her hometown so she'd even resorted to _writing a letter_ just so they would know she hadn't abandoned them.

That had been about two months ago, now. She had yet to receive a letter in return. A small part of her doubted she ever would.

Yet little Ruby had kept her chin up and forged ahead despite her feelings on the matter. '_People come and go, kiddo...' _her Uncle Qrow had once said to her after a particularly nasty incident one day. '_Don't let it get you down. Keep moving forward and you'll be bound to find more people. The world's too damn populated to ever truly be alone, don't I know it...'_

And she had listened to his words. She had forged a _team_. As a _leader_, even. Somehow. She had befriended her teammates, an _entire other team_ and even the headmaster himself seemed to like her.

Yet Yang had always been there with her throughout everything. Overshadowing her. Eyeing her protectively. _A mother hen, through and through. _Especially after the wagon incident, Ruby rarely if ever got some time alone to just _be herself_. Too many times had Ruby's actions been determined _for_ her.

Kirakishou was another name in a long list of people that Ruby had attempted to befriend, only for Yang to voice her disapproval of the girl and try to ruin things. It was _always something_ with whoever it was she tried to get close with. Either they were _too young _or _too old_ or _I just don't like them_ or _I don't think they're a good match for you. _

Oum. She had caught a glimpse the poor girl's face as Yang had pulled her away from Kira. She'd been devastated. _Lost_, even. She could only imagine what had been going through Kirakishou's head at the time. What things had seemed like from _her_ perspective. All because Yang hadn't approved of Kira being a little affectionate with her.

She was, putting it mildly, sick of being stuck behind her sister's guidance. She was sick of _needing_ Yang's approval to do anything at all.

Ruby just wanted to be her own person without someone to judge her every action. Was that really so bad? She wanted to be a huntress. She wanted to have friends. She, above all, wanted to make her mother proud.

Not _Yang. _Her actual mother, not her sister trying to be something she's not. _Summer Rose_.

She knew she was being cruel to her older sister. It wasn't Yang's fault she was the way she was. That was just her own little way of dealing with Summer's departure. If Yang couldn't have Summer, then she would _be_ Summer. The news of Yang's own actual mother had flipped everything on its head, but at that point her personality was dead-set on protecting Ruby at all costs.

Yet what could she _actually do about it? _

This was just another argument. It would always go the same way. Yang would pretend to stay at arm's length for a bit until Ruby started feeling bad about how she acted. She'd apologise and her elder sister would tease her about it for a few weeks. Then, eventually, something else would happen and the entire cycle would begin again.

A part of her wished she had a different blonde on her team instead of her elder sister.

Kirakishou would be perfect for her. A-As a team-member, of course. Her weird vine semblance could be very useful for a lot of combat applications. She had thought of other people too. Jaune would, eh, he'd probably be a cool team member too. He was as socially awkward as she was. Plus it seemed like he had an appreciation for cool weapons so they could at least talk about something that both of them could relate to. Although either one of them joining would kinda ruin their team name. Well, probably. She actually didn't know what Kira's full name was, come to think of it. Hopefully it was something that wouldn't mess with their team name, or make it sound silly.

It didn't matter what happened. Yang would find a way to be there, just like she had this morning.

The addition of Penny Polendia joining the group during their search for Blake was a welcome distraction from everything that was happening at the time. She was really quirky and had wonderful hair. The girl had just randomly waltzed up to them out from the middle of nowhere and offered to help with their search. Because she _wanted to_.

How long had it been since someone helped her because they _wanted to help_, rather than _needing to help? _She wasn't entirely sure, now that she thought about it. Ruby Rose was a person who ran to help others. It was in her very nature. A nature that, apparently, Penny also shared with her. She wished she'd had more time to talk to the girl the first time they'd met, but they had needed to escort Kirakishou to the headmaster. A _detective_ of all people had requested them to do so. They couldn't exactly say no to _that_.

But now that she had some time, Ruby was beginning to realise that Penny Polendina was an excitable girl with a vibrant outlook on life.

Plus her method of speech kept confusing Yang, who at this point was more than a little annoyed at another certain blonde and her own cute way of wording things. So that was a private bonus for little Ruby that she could giggle about behind closed doors. Perhaps after all of this madness she'd meet up with Kira again and gossip about all the silly things that Penny had done to annoy her older sister. She hadn't had a girl-to-girl talk with someone that _wasn't _a team-member in the longest time.

Her stomach felt all tingly at the idea of meeting up with Kira alone. Memories of their last encounter fluttered through her mind.

She just hoped that Kira didn't hold any grudges about what happened with Yang. Her older sister wasn't really the type of person to apologise about her actions. Especially when it came to her apparently sworn duty of embarrassing Ruby at every possible inconvenient moment and ruining everything.

An explosion was heard off in the distance, interrupting her musings. Thank Oum.

"What in the world was _that?!_" Weiss balked, glancing around to try and find the source of the horrid noise.

"...Judging by the sound and distance, I would estimate the source of the explosion to have originated near the cargo docks. Small yield. Likely weapons fire."

Ruby blinked, glancing at the orange-haired girl in surprise. "That's, uh, a pretty good guess, Penny." she remarked hesitantly, getting a toothy grin from the girl in response. "But why in the world would there be an explosion there? We'd better check it out. Just in case."

There was a tense moment where the four girls realised what they needed to do.

Weiss, however, paled dramatically. "...There's a Schnee Dust shipment that was scheduled for delivery today. If that much dust were to react, the results could be catastrophic. We need to find out what's going on. _Quickly_."

Ruby was more than a little surprised that Yang didn't make some horrible 'having a _blast_' pun at that.

Perhaps things were finally looking up.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you all for the sudden flood in attention for this story. It's been a journey these past few chapters, but we're starting to see how Kirakishou behaves and reacts to the world of RWBY in her own unique manner. I hope you all continue to enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

It was of no surprise that Qrow Branwen had been having a difficult time recently.

_Queen has pawns. _

He almost wished he hadn't sent that damn message before checking in with the old man in one of their designated meeting spots. Everything had steadily gone to shit soon after that precise lapse in judgement. If only he had been able to give more information.

Such was the nature with encoded messages, however. In this day and age, there were too many watchful eyes. Too many witnesses, no matter where you went. No matter _how_ you communicated with your superiors- as much as he hated to call the old man a 'superior'.

At the end of the day there was always somebody who would be watching your movements, once somebody knew enough important information.

After his message, a slew of information had been sent his way courtesy of one of the old man's dead drop locations. The message had contained instructions to investigate a shipping manifest from one of the cargo transports that had been sent to Vale.

_From fucking VACUO. _

Oum. He'd been reassigned to the other end of the fucking planet over a damn shipping manifest.

A direct flight from Vale to Vacuo, off the books of course, had taken nothing short of three straight days. By the time he'd made it to the damn private landing complex he'd all but collapsed on the ground. Special powers or not, he was _not_ meant to be stuck in the air for so damn long.

How he'd managed to get to the damn tavern for the night's rest was anybody's guess. He sure as hell had no fucking clue. Sheer force of will, perhaps.

"So you're saying you need to inspect the containers? What exactly for?" a voice interrupted him from his musings.

Ah. Right. He was in the middle of the foreman's office within Vacuo Transport & Co. The space was rather dimly lit, with papers thrown about this way and that. It was easily far more unorganised than his old dorm room back in Beacon. Glynda would have a fit if she saw the place like this. Hell, he was almost tempted to snap a picture and sent it to the deputy headmistress, if he wasn't in a place full of twitchy workers that probably packed more munitions than even he did.

Also he didn't feel like it.

The foreman himself was a portly fellow. Overweight, underpaid and most certainly overworked given the current condition of the shipping industry. Water-based transportation was a dangerous business given the aquatic Grimm, which had been a nightmare for transport before bullheads were commercialised.

Yet it was still a necessary action, even in these days. Mass quantities of items simply weighed too much to be carried on a bullhead successfully. Transporting it all by bullhead would require multiple trips and cost a ludicrous price.

Thus any decent shipping company was a high risk, high reward gambit. Most sailors were armed to the teeth and rather distrusting of outsiders. Especially stowaways. It was a miracle in its own right that two stowaways had been found in Vale alive. Typically they'd be discovered during routine checks of the cargo and simply thrown overboard.

Suffice to say, being thrown overboard into grimm-infested waters was… well, it was a rough time to say the least. It was a horrible way to go, but it spoke volumes about the sailors and port authorities themselves.

The _last _thing that Qrow wanted was to have to interrupt a man _this_ busy. It was hard not to feel sorry for the guy, even if he disproved of certain aspects of the career he couldn't help but recognise the sheer _balls_ it must take to constantly send off men to face one of the worst terrain conditions a hunter or huntress could deal with whilst the rest of the world thought of you as nothing more than scum.

But he had a job to do. He of all people wasn't going to waste time with politics.

"Yeah. That's right. I take it you got the documents from Ozpin, yes?"

The foreman's expression soured distastefully, glancing off to a nearby stack of paperwork wedged in a small corner of the room. "... Might have seen some of it. Yeah. I remember. It's coming to me now. Some sort of routine seizure of something, right? Not uncommon, but it _is_ when the officer isn't from these parts. Why in the world is a Vale official checking this out? Something happen with one of our shipments?"

... He hadn't read the damn papers, had he? Most likely the man had a quick glimpse and likely moved on. _Great_.

"You could say that. But for now, all I need to do is assess the contents of one of your containers to make sure everything's all well and good. Higher ups got word of some stowaways that may have messed with the manifest and they sent me to deal with it. Just show me the container and I'll be out of your way as soon as I can." he, well, he wouldn't call it _negotiating_.There was no actual negotiating with a man like this. It was more bargaining and hoping not to piss the man off too much that he'd blow a gasket and shoot him.

"_Fine._" the foreman huffed, "I don't know how in the world some stowaways could possibly mess with one of _our _manifests, but if what you're saying is true it would be a serious security risk. We'd be in some serious shit if we simply let it slide. So _fine_. You seem like an alright guy, so I'll let you do your business. Just don't take too long. We're expecting a freighter in the next couple of hours and the shipyard's gonna get too damn busy to allow outsiders. No offence."

Qrow snorted. Of course his dreaded luck strikes again and he _just so happens_ to ask the foreman during a hectic time. But it was probably the only chance he was going to get. Once the freighter made port, there was no way in hell he was getting a look at the container. Dockworkers were notoriously untrusting individuals and, well, he wanted to get out of this dreaded place and back to Vale proper as quick as he could.

"That'll do just fine."

The foreman merely nodded as if expecting the answer. "Alright. Come. I'll lead you to it."

* * *

"Brothers of the White Fang!" Blake cried out to the crowd of gathered faunus, her _Gambol Shroud _held tightly against the neck of the human that had saw fit to use her former allies in some twisted _robbery_. "_Why are you aiding this scum?!" _

It was utterly absurd. When her father, Ghira Belladonna, had led the White Fang even _he_ had never cooperated with petty criminals, even considering the connections they had. With Sienna Khan having taken over, things had become more violent but they had _still_ held true to their belief that negotiating with the criminal underworld was beneath them. It was one of their core beliefs that even _Sienna Khan_ would never have considered changing.

How could things have possibly taken such a drastic turn since her departure?

...Perhaps charging in and demanding answers hadn't been the best of decisions on her part, judging by the smirks that had grown on that faces of those she had once called kin.

She hadn't slept well, okay.

For _once_ in her life she had acted on her emotions, rather than holding them in, and the dread pooling in her gut was telling her that it had been a terrible idea. _For once_ she had stood up and faced her fears, rather than running away.

She just hoped that they would listen to her and cease this nonsense.

It ached to see her former allies becoming mere… henchmen. They would never stoop so low as to join forces with a human like this. What in the world were Adam and Sienna doing to allow something like this?! Had _so much_ changed in her absence?

The human gave a half-hearted chuckle, amusement rolling off him in waves. "Oh? Didn't anybody tell you, girl?" he questioned mockingly, displaying a rather casual attitude for a man with a sword held to his throat. "The White Fang and I have entered a… _partnership_ of sorts."

_So it's true. _A part of her mind thought solemnly. _They're willingly cooperating with him. They've actually been reduced to mercenaries for some… petty vagabond. _

"Tell me what you're planning."she hissed out angrily, her keen blade scraping against the skin of his neck. "Or I'm putting an end to your little partnership right now."

In response to her tired excuse for a threat, the thief merely looked up an approaching group of bullheads that were heading their direction. Several floodlights activated from atop the transports, glaring her direction. It stung against her enhanced vision.

Somehow, she doubted these bullheads belonged to the authorities.

Damn it all. She'd seen them all arrive at the docks via bullhead. If they _were_ attempting to steal an entire Schnee company shipment of dust then they would need some form of transportation for such a large size quantity of cargo. She'd assumed they would have commandeered a ship or something, not split the shipment into a bunch of stolen bullheads.

This, of course, also implied that their operation involved far more than a few random White Fang grunts. How far above the chain of command did this go?!

"…'_Little' _might not be the best way to put it!~"

Blake was suddenly sent rocketing backwards, caught off guard by the bullheads as her apparent hostage shot a flare from his cane directly at the ground below them.

It was at that time that Blake wondered if perhaps it would have been a better plan to stay with Sun atop the warehouse and silently report the robbery to the authorities when they had the chance.

Within seconds she was fighting for her life.

* * *

"...I don't exactly know what you _think_ you're going to find, sir, but I assure you that everything will be in order. We pride ourselves on efficiency here in Vacuo." the foreman huffed, stomping through the docks as he lead Qrow to the particular shipping container that ol' Ozpin had forced him to investigate.

True to what the foreman had stated before, the docks themselves were packed with expectant workers. Cranes were moving about shipping containers to various allocated areas and appeared to be clearing out a large section just off the harbour itself. Already several trucks had arrived with containers of their own. Night was rapidly approaching and already several floodlights had been switched on.

It was a complete frenzy. No wonder the foreman was pissed about having to direct an outsider to one of their completed orders in the middle of such a hectic time.

"Doesn't much matter, does it?" Qrow answered dryly, idly wondering if the foreman would be interested in grabbing a drink later. Bloke sure as hell needed to let off some steam. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get out of your hair and you can deal with whatever is going down over there."

The foreman glanced over at the side, wincing. "...Damn Schnee." he muttered angrily. "Been getting shipments like this for the past few months. Completely random. Only giving us the forewarning hours before the boats arrive with the stock. How in the world can they expect us to be ready to load more stock if they don't even give us time to prepare? It's lunacy. Complete and utter lunacy. World's gone to shit thanks to these damn dust thieves."

Qrow nodded understandingly. Several of his recent leads had been connected to various criminals groups partaking in the thievery.

It had taken some time at first to connect the dots, but eventually a connection revealed itself. A commonality between all of the various incidents over the past few months.

_Dust. _

All of the high-impact heists primarily focused on the mass theft of huge quantities of dust from wherever people could find it. Originally they had targeted smaller resupply outposts, before steadily upping their game and moving on to the more established outlets.

It had gotten to the point where most of Vale was suffering a severe shortage and the other provinces were having a tough time attempting to keep up with the sudden spike in demand. Schnee were making them all pay out the ass for the dust, of course, but there was little to be done when a single multi-national conglomerate held a monopoly on the ammunition.

"... Sounds pretty rough." He muttered.

The foreman gave a low, bitter laugh.

"You don't even know the half of it, sonny. But that's enough of that. We're here now."

Oh. Were they? He hadn't even noticed. All the damn containers looked the same to him, stacked up in the way they were. Huh. Guess the stress was getting to him.

Fucking _Vacuo_. Everyone's armed to the teeth and full of snark. Can't relax for a damn moment in this oum-forsaken area without worrying for your life.

It was a tad quieter in this sector compared to the parts he had been escorted past. Which was to say, slightly less densely packed than all of the other areas. There was enough room to fit machinery through the walkways, but apart from that it was about the same. He _still_ was surrounded in every direction by these damned containers filled with who-knows what.

The shipping container he'd went across half of fucking Remnant to find _stood in front of him_, no different to all of the hundreds of other containers he'd seen recently, barring the different serial number on the side. He'd been expecting to see a forged number or some mix-up in the manifest.

_...Checks out. Doesn't look any different. Number's the same as the one Oz says is in Vale at the moment… Too well done to be a rookie job. _

"See. It's here. Like I told you before. At the office." The foreman stated. Qrow wondered if the man could insert any more agitation into his voice if he wanted to. "... You know. The place I'm _supposed to be_ right now, before some Headmaster of a school in _pretty, lovely STRESS FREE Vale_ forced-"

"Okay okay. I get it. Damn." Qrow cut in, an edge of annoyance cutting into his own voice as he fought off the oncoming headache. "Just open it up and get it over with. _Please_."

The foreman huffed something under his breath that would likely have made even a sailor flush a brilliant crimson hue, but complied nonetheless.

"_...I would kindly request that you two please step away from the container, dear humans." _

Both Qrow and the foreman both froze at the voice. A deep, rich baritone that had been less heard and more _felt_ in their minds. Without pause, the huntsman pulled out his Harbinger; his signature greatsword/scythe.

"Who are you? Come out at once!" The foreman yelled out, his own pistol drawn as the man gestured around frantically, eyes searching all of the nearby shipping containers.

There was a silence. That, more than anything, concerned Qrow the most.

Mere moments ago the dock had been a bustling area filled with workers going this way and that. Whilst the particular crate they were after was off in the distance a bit, it was certainly not far enough to generate this level of stillness.

There were no birds cawing as the night came close. No sounds of cranes moving containers to their designated area. There were so distant sounds of ships drifting off in the distance.

_Dulled sensory effects… perhaps that is this person's semblance?_ Qrow wondered inwardly. If they were able to affect their senses to such a degree, there was no telling where the man could be. It was the perfect tool.

Footsteps on metal. A jarringly loud sound amidst the artificial quiet. Qrow whirled around at the sound, eyes drawn to a particular shipping container. He felt the distinct sensation that the sounds he'd heard were purposefully left unmasked, which spoke of a degree of mastery above that of a petty thug with a useful semblance.

_Damn it. _

There was a man. A faunus, rather, standing atop one of the containers and peering down at the two with razor sharp crimson eyes that reminded the faunus of his particularly agitating sister. It was easy to see that they were the eyes of a killer staring back at him. A hardened, seasoned mind and a rather keen intellect were Qrow to hazard a guess. It wasn't every day that someone was able to creep up undetected on a seasoned huntsman, after all.

He wore a traditional black tuxedo and banded top hat, coloured in a lighter shade of grey. The tuxedo was adorned by a black bow tie and hid a formal white shirt underneath. Judging by the white furred faunus ears that poked up between his top hat, the man was clearly a rabbit faunus of some kind. Not unheard of in these parts, yet it was rather jarring to see a typically impoverished race wearing a sophisticated apparel.

"_To think one such as myself would need reveal myself to outsiders… In this derogatory form, no less..." _the faunus lamented animatedly, sighing even as he jumped down from his position with practised grace. "_Truly, the Game has torn itself asunder as a result of a dearest seventh. A referee's job is never truly done, is it?" _

"Game?" Qrow repeated, pushing the foreman behind him as he pointed his weapon at the odd figure in a silent demand for answers.

A slight narrowing of crimson eyes and a tensing of his fists was the supposed _referee's_ only reaction to blade pointed his direction.

"_You do not know what you are seeking. Hm. How far down the chain must you be, to not know of the Alice Game? Hmmm. No. Perhaps..." _the faunus paused as if in thought as he pulled out a golden pocketwatch from his breast pocket and inspected it momentarily. "..._Ah. I see. A world without the Rozen Maiden and, thus consequently, the Alice Game. No wonder you are unaware. She would not allow you to know, would she? Our dearest seventh truly has made a mess of things in her absence… How agitating."_

Qrow grimaced inwardly as he watched the faunus chuckle at some inside joke only he would understand. Why was it that he always had to be the one dealing with the crazies? This was supposed to be a simple assessment, not some interrogation with an odd faunus in a tuxedo that appeared expensive enough to have a Schnee gaping in wonder.

"What is your purpose here? Why are you trying to stop us from getting close to the container?"

There was the slightest possibility that the _referee_ as he called himself could be the man responsible for the trafficking incident, but Qrow doubted he held any high standing. The man's own title alone implied that he was simply a stepping stone for some other major contender. Likely he was a hired assassin of some sort, meant to clean up loose ends. Not the first Qrow had encountered during his missions and most certainly not the last.

The phrase '_seventh'_ also sent alarm bells ringing in his mind. Had there been other incidents of human trafficking that had been missed?

"_My purpose is as I have stated before. Step away from the container. I request, furthermore, that you both leave this place and never return. Scurry along to your masters. This is not the place for outsiders, dear humans. I am sure you two have been taught the dangers of trespassing on private property, no?" _

He waved a gloved to the foreman in a 'tsk' gesture, even as the portly man bristled at his admonishing tone. Qrow grimaced. It wouldn't do to start a fight with so many unknowns, even if the odd faunus was admittedly pissing him off as well. The sound would attract the other workers in the area if it happened to escape the faunus' odd semblance. Considering how heavily-armed and tense the workers currently were with all of the dust robbers, the ensuing firefight would rapidly spin out of control.

A bunch of heavily-armed angry dockworkers against a faunus with the ability to manipulate the senses? Yeah. Total slaughter.

As much as he hated to admit it, the only reason things weren't already completely screwed over was entirely due to the faunus. His semblance was the only thing keeping the peace, yet it could easily be used to ruin things at a moment's notice. Damn useful thing, he would admit.

Something inside of him, an old killer instinct honed during his time in the family, told him that the faunus would have no issue with combat if he was forced to do so. He certainly possessed the eyes of a hardened killer. Cold and focused. If the bloke _did_ turn out to be a quirky assassin of some kind, he wouldn't be surprised if he had quite a few kills under his belt.

"But _why_." Qrow pressed further, if only to stall for time. "What's so important with this damn container, anyway? I'm only here to figure it all out, then I'll be on my way."

It was complete bullshit on his part, but it was all he could really say to get the guy talking. Now that the faunus man had revealed himself and complicated everything, there was no way that ol' Oz would be letting things go. The man was nothing if not a person who would grasp every delicate string of a conspiracy in the hopes of tearing it apart at the seams.

The faunus sighed heavily, reaching into his breast pocket and checking his pocket-watch again. A nervous tick, perhaps.

_He's on a timer. _Qrow realised abruptly. _There's more to this than meets the eye. Is he waiting for something? Or does he have some place to be?_

There were far too many unknowns. This simple mission had turned into something that would have Ozpin badgering him for months.

"_...A curious mind. Rash and blunt, of course, yet smart enough to hold his tongue in a tense situation. You would have made a fine medium, were this world a different one. Perhaps to Suigintou..." _he mused, stroking his chin. "..._But enough with the idle speech. I have been given a command and, thus, I must obey. Leave this place, or be forcefully removed." _

"Now listen here, you damn faunus!" Qrow was shoved aside as the foreman pushed forward before he was able to halt the man. "I am Gunner Cobe, foreman of these here docks. My word is law. I don't know who you _think_ you are but-"

The man's head was swiftly separated from his shoulders mid-rant. Qrow spun around as quick as he could as he went for his weapon, only to receive a sudden kick to his abdomen that sent him tumbling into a nearby container. His back slammed into the metal wall, leaving a horrid imprint against the steel.

A single kick and his aura had dropped by _half_. What in the world were they feeding that man?! Oum, the man was faster than his niece. Easily.

The faunus sighed heavily, a gloved hand dripping with blood. Whatever it would seem that had been keeping the world silent had abruptly stopped just as the foreman was killed. Almost instantly he could hear shouts in the distance from dockworkers that had overheard the sounds.

"_I do not have time for this." _the faunus stated, eyes narrowed. "_In honour of your likeness to one of my master's dearest creations, I shall let you live. Goodbye. I suggest you vacate the immediate vicinity post-haste. After all, I'm not the only one who does not take kindly to trespassers." _

The faunus jumped before his could say anything, landing on a nearby shipping container and quickly disappearing from view even as gunshots from the trigger-happy dockworkers were sent his way. Before too long, he had disappeared out of Qrow's sight.

It didn't take a genius to know that pursuing the man would be a _bad_ idea.

"Hands where I can see them!"

Qrow didn't know whether to laugh at his absurdly bad luck at accidentally stumbling into some horrid conspiracy or curse his very existence.

...He wondered if they would shoot him for reaching for his flask..?

'_Probably not a good idea. Perhaps later, though. Scratch that. Definitely later.'_

* * *

Ruby Rose didn't know what to do. Everything had all suddenly changed out of the blue and she felt like she was still catching up with things. She wished Wiess was here right now. Sure, she'd texted the Schnee heiress her location but until she arrived, poor Ruby was stuck looking at something she wasn't entirely certain how to process.

That had been happening a lot, actually, come to think of it.

Blake Belladonna -her TEAMMATE- was fighting the _White Fan_g, alongside with the faunus boy that Kira stopped at the docks. The fact that she'd gone to some random boy she'd met at the docks instead of her own team… concerned her. She was supposed to be the leader of team RWBY. Blake should have come to her. Or at least responded to any one of her countless text messages.

She did wonder why Roman Torchwick had joined up with faunus people that hated humans, but perhaps this was one of those 'villain team-up' things that happened in a lot of those old films she used to watch.

Penny Polendina had also joined her in her search for Blake, only for the two to wind up overlooking Blake's confrontation with her (former?) group (terrorist cell? Bad guys?) when the sound of an explosion had alerted them to something bad happening at the docks.

And Blake was _good. _Better than good, really. She was kicking butt. She'd known that Blake was pretty good to have impressed her sister (who had pretty high standards considering she'd graduated at the top of her class) but even then… she hadn't thought Blake to be _this freaking good_. Oum. She almost felt sorry for the guys that had to deal with Gambol Shroud pointed at them. Who'd have thought ribbons and bladed assault pistols could work so well together?

...Though she did look a little frazzled. Oh! Was that a mean thing to say about a faunus? She didn't mean it that way!

...Blake's faunus friend had…. Well... _Shotgun nunchucks. _Oum. If she wasn't in the middle of overlooking a massive battle between her teammate and a bunch of baddies she'd _totally_ be geeking out over such a crazy design. It was just too cool. If she'd had her concerns over the faunus boy, they were pretty much gone now. Nobody who owned a weapon _that_ cool could possibly be that bad. Even if he had run from authorities or something. And threw a banana peel at said authorities.

But if it hadn't been for him then she wouldn't have met Kira. And now, here he was helping her teammate fight against the White Fang. And… Roman Torchwick of all people.

Why was the guy who wanted to rob dust working with the White Fang? Weren't they anti-human extremists or something? Wouldn't they beat him up the first moment they saw his weird outfit and the over-the-top makeup?

No! She was getting off track again. They hadn't noticed her yet. She needed to make an entrance. Surprise them. Use stealth. Which would then give Blake and the faunus boy an opening for a surprise attack! It was the least she could do. Even if that failed, she had a giant scythe and a _lot_ of pent up stress to work out. So everything would be fineeeee!

'_Wait isn't his cane a gun-'_

"Hey!" she yelled out just in the nick of time, right before Roman could fire a point-blank shot at the faunus boy that had been helping Blake.

Combat briefly froze. Suddenly Ruby felt a lot of eyes staring at her. She fidgeted slightly as she extended her Crescent Rose. Her heart was fluttering nervously. So much for stealth.

Roman offered her a sarcastic wave. "Oh, hello Red! Isn't it past your bedtime?"

What was- it wasn't even dark-

Oh. He was making fun of her. Baddy speeches. If she remembered correctly, villains always had some funny words to say. In the movies she'd kinda liked some of their quirky speeches and witty banter.

Having them aimed towards her wasn't so nice.

"...Ruby." her orange-haired friend briefly attracted her attention as she walked up behind her with all the air of a girl completely out of her comfort zone. "...Are these people your friends?"

In that moment, her heart lurched for the girl. Perhaps it was a mistake letting her help out with finding Blake, but she'd felt really bad about blowing the girl off when they'd met and she hadn't had the heart to refuse Penny's offer to help. When they'd first met she'd been too busy helping Kirakishou to actually have time to introduce herself properly and had kind of bolted on the girl in favour of making sure Kira didn't wander off.

"Penny, get-"

She only had a moment's notice of _hearing_ the actual gunshot before she felt the blast impacting against her chest. In a moment her breath was forcefully ripped from her lungs from the impact. Ruby _felt_ more than actually saw aura abruptly flare up from the sudden attack before she was sent flying backwards from the sheer force alone.

_Cold hands caught her before she could fall. _

She _knew_ those hands. Nobody else had hands as cold as that. Not even the ice queen that was her partner.

"Kira." Ruby rasped out as she struggled to get oxygen back into her bruised lungs, blushing slightly in both embarrassment for her friend witnessing her getting struck and the awkward position she'd found herself in. "Thank you, but you didn't have to-"

Her heart constricted painfully in her chest.

She froze.

From the corner of her eye she could see Penny staring at them with a quizzical look on her freckled face. She was torn between worry and bafflement.

_It couldn't be. There was no way. It's not possible. Not in a million years. Never. _

"There there. It's okay. You're safe. I've got you, my little jewel..."

That voice. That smile. The outfit. It was all the same. Nothing had changed.

"M-Mom?"


	9. Chapter 9

During many a day, there were three overarching ways to describe how events would inevitably turn out.

_Sunshine and daisies. _

'Good days'.

_Shit's fucked, cap'n. _

'Bad days'.

_Today was alright_.

'Eh'.

In any such situation, one always needed to be prepared to handle any sudden curveball that life would throw their way. Because, no matter how dastardly you were, no matter how well you handled you day-to-day affairs, _eventually_ something was bound to go wrong and potentially ruin all your years of planning. You could be having the time of your life when suddenly you were on your last legs. Even a good event at a terrible time could make one lose focus and screw everything up.

...There was a particular incident involving a sailboat and a wedding receptionist off the coast of a small Mistralian port that came to mind.

He knew that this was how the world works. His darling Neo knew this as well. That bitch Cinder most certainly knew in her own twisted little way, as did all of her whiny little underlings.

_Gosh. Cinder. _

It was as if the girl _thrived _on railroading all of her pawns into inescapable situations built on lies and sudden flares of her bullshit do-anything power. It had taken one decent glance into her amber eyes to know that Cinder Fall was a woman who built herself up atop the corpses of her former followers and enjoyed every second of it.

Worse still, she had him by the proverbial balls. Possibly by the _actual_ balls too, if the glances she occasionally sent his way meant anything. He would certainly peg Cinder to be the type of girl to enjoy displaying her assertive behaviour in any shape or form. Probably one of the few times where his accursed good looks had gotten the better of him.

Yet even Roman could not deny that the woman was, at her core, a survivor. A person never could grow to be _that_ ambitious without first barely scraping by only to rise above her adversaries. She was a woman whom had learnt how to play to her strengths and use others to cover for her weaknesses. If she played her cards right she'd be able to cause quite the bit of chaos in this merry little world.

Certainly enough for enterprising crooks like himself to make a fine piece of lien or two if her played his cards right.

The key to surviving in such a crapsack place like Remnant was the ability to turn any wayward event into a favourable outcome. Bad events were just opportunities in disguise. That was all Roman did, really. He made the day work for him. Whilst being impeccably dressed, heavily armed and hamming it up as much as humanly possible, of course. But that was just his style. Everyone had to get their jollies somewhere, right?

And his little style _worked._

People hated your regular dime-a-dozen cutthroats and racial supremacist, which was why the media often portrayed criminals in such a manner. When eventually caught, they were would be no hesitation in passing judgement. There wouldn't ever be that flicker of uncertainty that could spell life or death, that errant thought running through peoples minds and making them wonder if what they were doing was _right_ and_ just_.

Everything was so much easier for society when things were black and white. Your everyday rabble just loved _just_ _heroes_ and _dastardly villains._ And that was where the true powers of the world lay. Not with the leaders or the military, but the _people_. The _commoners. _

If Roman Torchwick had learnt anything, it was that people were who fully convinced in their beliefs that an individual was _bad_ and _against them_, then they could do some pretty cruel things in the sake of protecting that which they care about. Ideals were both sword and shield to those who cared about such things.

The White Fang were no different.

Sure, they growled and said big meanie words behind his back, but in they end they were still just people playing out the same pointless tune that's been played out oum-knows how many times before. Animal features or not, they still acted the same as your lien-a-dozen human being. They played the role they chose and confined themselves in their beliefs.

It had been no surprise to him that Cinder had so effortlessly subverted them to her cause, whatever in the world _her cause_ even was. Probably something equally as convoluted and pointless that leads to no actual overall changes in the long run. Although, the sheer irony of a totalitarian group of faunus fighting back against human oppression was being _controlled by humans_ was quite amusing. Definite brownie points for Cinder there. If she weren't such a horrid excuse for a human he'd have almost admired her manipulative abilities.

Roman Torchwick was beginning to wonder exactly when most of his days started to fill with the aforementioned 'bad events' instead of what resulted from his typical day-to-day routine. He also wondered how such circumstances seemed to consistently make it more and more difficult to turn in his favour.

_...Suffice to say, this was not a day that Roman was currently enjoying._

* * *

Ruby Rose stood there atop some no-name building in downtown Vale, silver eyes uncomprehending at the sight before her. Her mouth was gaping as her mind desperately searched for something, _anything_ to say. She couldn't think straight.

Silver eyes stared down at her. Warm. Caring. Compassionate.

Silver eyes stared back up at her mother.

_Her MOTHER. _

_**SUMMER FUCKING ROSE**__._

_...S-She. She was alive. There right with her. Cradling her in her arms. _

_A small part of Ruby wondered how long it had been since those arms had last held her._

_A small part of Ruby wondered if such a thing was even possible. _

_Well. Okay. Maybe it was a little bit more than 'small parts' that were wondering this._

_J-Just… how... _

Her mind was so caught up in searching for any kind of explanation that she didn't even hear the words that Torchwick was saying. She couldn't even understand the words that Penny had said before the girl had jumped down and started carving away at random White Fang mooks with flying swords that came out of her backpack.

Well. Okay. She'd _kinda _noticed that, despite everything that was happening. _Come on_. Those weapons were cool as heck. She'd have to be blind to not notice something so badass. When all of this was over she was going to be having _words_ with her ginger-haired new friend. Penny was an Atlesian, right? She wondered what it must be like over there for laser swords to be a thing.

But, even if every fibre in her weapons geek of a body wanted to turn around and focus on Penny's actions, she couldn't find the will to move. Not with _those eyes_ staring back at her. No matter how much she wanted to be distracted from something so utterly impossible, she couldn't bring herself to deny the sight infront of her. She was rooted on the spot of some oum-forsaken building in downtown Vale in the middle of a gunfight…

All because of those silver eyes.

"_You have your mother's eyes, you know." _

Ruby remembered those words. Originally, many years ago, she'd vaguely remembered her dad saying them to her as a joke of some kind after she'd starting crying after being caught trying to steal from the cookie tray right after dad had finished baking them. It had been the first time she'd had cookies after mom's dea-_disappearance_.

_S-Since mom's death._

She couldn't run from the truth. She'd vowed to never run from reality, no matter how harsh it got. No matter how unfair things became, she would keep moving forward in honour of her mother's sacrifice. Ruby wouldn't ever fall into her old self. Not since that time that Yang had consoled her and forced her to accept the truth in her own way.

"_Our mom's dead, Ruby! D-E-A-D. That's it! She… she's not coming back, okay. Dead is dead. Just… just stop. I'm sorry, but you're old enough to understand now and I can't stand seeing you like this, Ruby. You need to snap out of it! Please! She wouldn't want you being like this!" _

The words had hurt her. They'd hurt her more than anything ever had, up until that point. She could still remember the day like it had happened mere moments ago. Oum, she'd been _so_ mad at Yang for that. She hadn't spoken to her sister for weeks after that moment. Whether it had been out of pure spite or sheer denial, Ruby wasn't entirely certain anymore, but eventually she'd given up and accepted it.

She had learnt a valuable lesson that day.

_Thus kindly I scatter..._

For the longest time she had wondered if Summer would ever have approved of her training to become a huntress. Her decision to train up had only come after Yang's intervention. No matter how many years passed though, she'd always been too scared to ever think of asking her dad about what he thought she'd say. The idea of disappointing her mother… it hurt to think about.

Oum. Dad was gonna freak. Well, either that or he'd just pretend everything was fine and wall it off.  
Yet, she didn't think that Dad could wall off something as big as this. Not like last time.

_Dad… I wonder how you handled it, really. Truly. Behind the smiles, behind the frowns... What were you feeling when I asked you to help me be like my mom? How would you react, if you saw her again? What would you say?_

Her dad had known that once she'd made up her mind, there was no stopping her. There had been a single argument when she'd revealed her intentions (perhaps at the wrong time) but after that he had reluctantly agreed and poured every resource he had into training her up to kick as much butt as possible.

Even if she needed to get her own butt kicked first.

She loved her dad to pieces for everything he's done for her, but oum did he have a mean right hook sometimes. Worse still, he was probably a little more strict than Professor Goodwitch when it came to training. _Then came Qrow. _

She tried not to think about Qrow's training that much.

"Ruby… Ruby it's really you…Oh oum... my baby girl… My-"

_My little sun and stars. _

Unbidden, the memory stuck with full force. She found herself almost grimacing at the sheer intensity of it all. It was her earliest memory of her mother, when she was being tucked into bed beside Yang (because of a scary storm) her mother had kissed them both of the forehead before whispering that phrase.

They were both crying, she realised. Both Ruby and her mother. Tears were flowing freely from their silver eyes as they drank in the appearances of eachother. Her mother had time to briefly move her arms outwards in a hug before Ruby was bolting forwards in a burst of speed courtesy of her semblance. Her mother caught her with open arms, staggering from the sheer force of the impact.

"M-Mom… you… you're..."

_You're alive… You're really, truly, alive. _

Arms. _Her mother's arms_, wrapped around her.

She couldn't speak. She nestled herself in her mother's embrace, crying and wailing into her chest as her tiny arms held on for dear life, fearful that the woman she held would disappear again. It had been like when she was a kid, she'd do the same with a pillow when she was trying to sleep. Holding it tightly and convincing herself that she had her mother in her arms once again, rocking her softly.

Summer held her tightly. Tight enough where she felt her aura flicker slightly, before the woman abruptly softened her embrace. Ruby almost wished that she hadn't relaxed, just the reaction from her aura was enough to convince her it wasn't some _illusion..._ some _trick_ done by the baddies to destabilise the mighty leader of team RWBY.

_It was real. She was real. And she was right there. _

She stiffened as she felt hands rubbing against her back in an effort to calm her down. Those same circular calming motions that her mother had once used to get her to relax one night when a particularly nasty storm had hit their house. Her mom was shaking, she realised. Trembling.

Oum. Why is she even thinking about this? Her mind was such a mess right now. Nothing made sense anymore. How could it? How could _anything_ make sense when your dead mother was-

"It's okay, sweetling. Shh. It's alright." her mother cooed as she pulled back from the hug. "Just relax. Focus on my voice. M-Mother's here for you now. I'm not going to leave you. Not ever. I'm right here, Ruby. Right here with you. Calm down… I'm right here..."

It almost sounded like she was talking to herself at the end.

She sniffled softly, whimpering even as her mother wiped away the tears that were threatening to cloud her vision. Oum, she must look ridiculous at the moment. Certainly the Ice Queen would probably call her out for looking like a dolt or something that sounded equally snooty. But Ruby didn't care. She'd gladly be a dolt for the rest of her life, just so that she could be with her mom again.

"H-How…?" Ruby managed to choke out the word. In the state she was in, that was probably the best she was going to get. Honestly, it hurt to think. Everything _hurt_.

Yet if Summer noticed her distress, she didn't comment on it. She merely gave a warm consoling smile that only served to make Ruby whimper.

She had missed that smile. _So damn much. _

"Your little blonde friend. Kira, I think it was. She, er, umm... okay, look, she had one of those weird names, like the ones that people from Kuroyuri have..." her mother trailed off, blushing in embarrassment before shaking her head and continuing. "She sent me here, Ruby."

_Kira._

_She could only mean Kirakishou._

_The blonde girl with the cute dress and silly smiles._

_My friend._

_Kirakishou. _

_Kirakishou sent her mother to her._

_KIRAKISHOU HAD SENT HER MOTHER TO HER. _

What.

"What."

"What?!" her mother retorted, confused and perhaps a little indignant at her daughter's tone. Ruby figured that she kinda sounded a little like Weiss at the moment. "I… I mean, that is her name, right? I, well, to be entirely honest I wasn't really paying that much attention when she introduced herself... I was a little, erm, _occupied _at the time..? No, I'm sure it..."

..._Yup. That's mom alright. _

It was made abundantly clear to her, much to her relief, that she _wasn't_ the only social wallflower in the family. Had to get it from somewhere.

She tried to laugh at the absurdity of everything, but it come out more like a dry rasp than anything else.

"N-No. That's not what I meant." Ruby cut her mother off weakly, yet somehow it was enough to stop her mother's rambling in its tracks. Ruby thought her voice sounded a touch strained. Perhaps she needed to stop drinking so much soda on weekends. That's probably it. "That's… That's Kira. Kirakishou. That's her name, yes...But..." she muttered, lost in thought.

_I-I don't… how…? _

Tiny white vines don't resurrect dead mothers from the grave, no matter how pretty they look or whatever. That's not how nature works. That's not how semblances work. People don't just… they can't...

A hand cupped her cheek.

Memories flickered into the forefront of her mind. Honestly, at this point she wished her damn mind would just shut up for ten damn seconds and let her-

"_I could not be happier, to be bonded with my maiden of the Red Rose."_

Kirakishou... She remembered when the blonde girl had said that. Right to the headmaster's face. There was no hesitation. No worry. No nervousness. Nothing. Just straight facts said with that damnningly cute smile of hers. Oum. She'd thought she was going to melt in embarrassment at the time.

Yet as she watched the odd rose-themed girl tearfully explain her past, Ruby had found herself not caring that much that Kirakishou had inadvertaintly embarrassed her infront of the headmaster. It wasn't as if the girl was teasing her like Yang did sometimes (read: most of the time). It was just Kira's way of showing affection in her own, _unique, _style_._

"_Thank you, Ruby. For choosing to nurture a beautiful rose like me."_

_Why did you do it, Kirakishou? _She couldn't help but wonder,_ Why did you bring my mother back to me? How could you even do it? Your semblance is those weird vine things. Not… not this… You can't bring back the dead, everybody knows that. Dead is dead..._

"_...I miss them, you know. I know that I shouldn't. They hurt me. They did everything to ruin my dreams. But, in this world without Father, I cannot help but miss them."_

Oh, she was crying again.

"What's wrong, sweetling?" her mother's voice caused her to blink and refocus, staring blankly at the woman in an attempt to calm her frazzled thoughts.

She sniffled.

She-

Ruby froze abruptly, eyes widening in surprise. In an instant she found herself staggering backwards, stumbling haphazardly as she stared in disbelief at her mother's body.

_Those… her arms. _

_They're not human._

_They're not prosthetics. Mom n-never had prosthetics..._

Ball jointed limbs.

She looked a little closer at the woman standing beside her. Now that she focused, she could see that a few things stood out.

A face that was _too_ perfect, _too _immaculate to ever be called a true face. How could she not have seen it before? Even with her outfit, it couldn't hide something like that.

Her mom's skin had been pale, yes, but never _that_ pale. Never had it possessed that sheen to it, akin to a ceramic of sorts, yet with an odd fleshy texture that had the slightest similarity to skin yet appeared blatantly different.

Summer's lips curled into a warm loving smile, something that should be physically impossible on… on...

"Y-You… You're a _doll_.."

Summer Rose nodded mechanically, raising a hand to inspect the jointed digits herself. "...It was quite the surprise to me as well, when I first woke up." she spoke in a faraway tone, no real inflation to her voice.

Ruby thought that her mother certainly didn't _sound_ surprised.

After a pause as if to shake her mind of her thoughts, she continued. "Your little friend explained everything to me, Ruby. It's okay. I don't mind it, not really. I'd rather be walking as some bizarre doll than… the alternative, if it meant that I would be able to see my baby girl again. I think she knew that, your friend."

"...But… _how..?" _

Her mother smiled demurely. "That would be something you would have to ask her yourself. I'm not entirely sure, myself. Your little friend is a bit, erm… Well." her mother coughed as if to hide her awkwardness. The cough trick had never worked for Ruby and it certainly didn't work for her mother either. "She, well, she has a unique dialect to say to least. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. But it makes it a little hard to understand her."

_A unique dialect… that's one way of putting it. _Ruby thought incredulously. Oum. It was like nobody could speak to the damn girl except her. It wasn't that hard, really.

"W-Where is Kira, anyway? I… I don't think she would just… just do something like this and leave." Ruby reasoned out. Though she wasn't entirely sure in the first place. She didn't know much about her new friend. They'd only _just_ met recently after all, and it had been in the middle of a big issue with Blake and Weiss that she was attempting to fix up.

Though, somehow, she felt… _comfortable_ with Kira. Yes. That's a nice, safe, word she could use to describe her thoughts on the blonde-haired girl. There were a lot of weird, nebulous feelings she held for the girl that she was only beginning to understand, but in the end... she trusted Kira. And, considering everything that Kirakishou had shared with her regarding her past, it was clear that Kira trusted her aswell.

She knew, deep within her heart, that if she asked Kirakishou to tell her what had happened, her friend wouldn't hesitate to tell her.

So _where was she?! _

Ruby didn't know what she'd do. She didn't know what she'd say to the _pretty girl who resurrected her dead mother as a doll_. But damn if she wasn't going to find SOMETHING to say.

"From what I _could_ understand, your friend was weakened severely after bringing me… ah... _here_. She could be barely speak out loud. I had to strain to hear what she was saying. I wanted to get her to a doctor, but, well… I may have been a little hasty in my efforts to see you again, rosebud..." Summer explained, rubbing the back of her head.

Ruby blanched. "So you just left her there?!" she retorted incredulously. She'd seen enough movies to know that bringing someone back carried a huge cost. It always did. Something something equivalent exchange or something. There was a big chance that Kirakishou could be seriously injured from doing whatever it was she did in order to bring her mother back from the dead.

_Dead. Dead dead dead._

Summer Rose held up her hands in a placating manner, frowning. It was only then that Ruby realised she'd been glaring rather heatedly at her mother.

...Maybe Yang was right. Maybe puberty was a wild ride of emotions. She never imagined that she'd be getting mad at S_ummer freaking Rose_ of all people. Maybe she was just a little exhausted with everything that was going on around her. She needed a break.

"Relax, sweetling… it's okay. She just seemed rather exhausted, is all. Must have took a lot to get me here with you. I'm sure that she'll still be in her dorm room once all of this is sorted, okay? For now, we need to focus on the-"

_Wait… what?_

"...Kira brought you back in her bedroom?" Ruby blurted incredulously. Isn't there supposed to be some big ritual chamber, or was that only in the movies?

Summer shrugged. "Eh. I was a little surprised too. Isn't there supposed to be some big ordeal, you know? Candles. Chanting. People in cloaks. That sort of thing? I just woke up there and within a couple minutes I was speeding towards the docks. Scared the hell out of a couple students, I think. Um. Sorry about that. You may have to deal with a few really confused students on your way back to Beacon."

Well, at least it's good to know that she ended up liking the same type of movies that her mother liked. _Likes_.

"...It's okay..." she muttered awkwardly.

Summer clapped her hands. They made a weird sound, she almost giggle when Summer also looked a bit surprised at the sound. "Right! So. Let's go beat up some thieves and then we can sort out this mess later. What do you think?"

* * *

And, just like that, it was over.

Blake didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity or collapse into tears at the confirmation that the group she had once staunchly believed to be the paragons for faunus rights had devolved into a ravenous group of fanatical cutthroats.

_Being ordered around by a racist human with the worse sense of fashion I've ever seen. A criminal. Adam… why did you do this? Why did you let things go down like this? You would never have allowed something like this to happen. Was… was it me? Did you throw everything to the wind after I left? Was it all for nothing? _

She wasn't stupid. Blake knew that it was beyond selfish to believe that one person could cause such a radical change in a group with firmly held beliefs and desires.

Yet she could not deny Adam's way with words. He was charismatic. He could get in your head, almost to the point where you could hear a voice in your head _telling you_ what to believe. Oum, if he wanted to do so, Blake held no doubt in her mind that Adam held the ability to radically sway the White Fang's beliefs if given enough time.

But _now?_ Mere months after she'd deserted, Adam had managed to radicalise the faunus into willingly cooperating with such… _scum_? Sure, he was renowned for his ability to turn others to his side, but something of that scale seemed completely out of the blue and neigh-impossible, which was why she'd had such trouble thinking that the White Fang could be a part of the robberies.

Yet they _were_. But why in the world would the White Fang need to steal dust? With their constant raids on the Schnee Dust Mines, they had more than enough dust to arm themselves. The degree of dust that they were attempting to steal held no value apart from pissing off both the SDC even futher, along with agitating both the shipping companies and any munitions seller in the local area.

And everyone knows not to piss off either of those two groups.

_So… why are they doing it? What reason could Adam have?_

_I-I don't know… _

There were too many unknowns for her to come up with a proper conclusion. She needed answers. Evidence. Something to help her understand all of this nonsense. The question was how in the world was she, a former White Fang agent turned academy student, ever going to get to the bottom of this?

She shoved her thoughts to the side for the moment and refocused on what was happening around her.

A ginger-haired girl had jumped down to assist them against the White Fang the moment that Roman Torchwick opened fire against Ruby. Blake vaguely recalled meeting the girl when her team was escorting Kirakishou to Beacon Academy. For all intents and purposes, Blake was beyond glad that the girl was on their side. She was a _machine_. Ripping through White Fang goons like mincemeat and leaving broken soldiers in her wake. It was as awe-inspiring as it was terrifying.

Sun Wukong had suffered a few injuries in the events leading up until the strange girl's appearance and Blake used the brief reprieve from combat to pull the boy out of the line of fire. She didn't know_ what_ exactly powered those lasers that the girl was firing (out of her _swords _for oum's sake) but given how they were tearing through the hulls of bullheads with relative ease, she figured it would be bad if the monkey faunus were to get hit by one of them.

Ruby had certainly made some interesting friends in the past few days.

The White Fang was putting up a solid enough defence, but it was clear they were outmatched in practically every way. All they had going for them was numbers, which were being cut down rather quickly courtesy of the girl. Blake was inwardly glad to see that the girl never went for a killing blow, but it was clear that some of those soldiers weren't getting up any time soon.

_Then_ Ruby decided to join in.

Followed closely by another older woman that was practically the spitting image of her team leader, albeit one clad in a white cloak and a slightly different hairstyle to Ruby herself. It was clear the two were atleast related in some way. Her mother, by the looks of things.

Ruby had never talked about her mother. Or the rest of her family outside of Yang. But at the current moment Blake didn't exactly care about the Rose family history. She was just glad that Ruby's mother was on _their _side. Never in a million years would she want to go up against such a person.

The woman didn't have a weapon. She sure as hell didn't need it.

* * *

**A/N: **Another chapter down. We are coming to a close for Volume 1 of RWBY. I hope you all enjoy the recent developments and I'm eager to hear what you all think. Summer is such a driving force in the RWBY story, yet is barely mentioned apart from a few choice developments. Naturally, with Kirakishou influencing things... that might be subject to change.

There may be a brief lull in uploads. Work is entering a hectic time. But I'll still be here, typing when I can.


	10. Chapter 10

By the time that Weiss and Yang found their way to the docks, the fighting had already ceased, leaving utter destruction in its wake. Roughly thirty minutes after the fight had broken out, police had swarmed the area and most of the White Fang associates still in the area had quickly attempted to escape with their stolen bullheads, most of which hadn't been loaded with Schnee company cargo.

_Most _may be a little too generous of a phrase to describe the carnage that had occurred. There were a high number of White Fang that had been knocked unconscious in the fighting or were otherwise disabled enough for the VPD to make a great many arrests that night. Weapons fire from the battle had spread concerns of a potential explosive risk through the emergency services grapevine, leading to both the Vale Fire Safety Service and the VPD bomb squad also being called in to run damage control.

The power had been knocked out following a wayward hit to a nearby powerline. The power to the nearby areas was only beginning to come back online now, with most of the area currently still being lit by multiple floodlights stationed throughout the area, brought in by the various emergency services as they arrived on site.

Many civilians had overheard the firefight and ensuing police sirens and came running to see what was going on. Whilst there weren't any news reports that were visible in the masses, many people had already brought their scrolls out and were recording the scene. It was only a matter of time until the _actual _reporters came.

Weiss marched forward through the crowd alongside Yang, levelling a fleeting disdainful gaze towards the barricade tape that had sectioned off the civilians from the crime scene before abruptly pulling it up and over herself and walking though before anyone could stop her. Yang barely had time to gape at her abrupt behaviour before the heiress grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her forward before anyone noticed the duo.

"Phew, Weiss-cream. Didn't know you had it in you." the blonde brawler teased as she pantomimed fanning herself off in a mock scandalised expression, although inwardly she was pretty damn surprised by the severity of the situation. She'd heard the explosion before, yes, but she hadn't expected something _this_ bad. She was more than a little worried that her baby sister had been seriously injured. It was the wagon incident all over again.

So, to see the snooty princess showing a complete disregard for formality during such an intense time was more than a little disconcerting to witness, even for her.

Weiss levelled a frosty (hah!) scowl her way for a brief second as she pulled her towards the docks, her blue eyes glancing this way and that as she tried to make sense of the carnage around her.

"Don't you dare call me such a disgraceful name. That was horrible even by your... _standards_, Yang." she gave a noncommittal shrug at the heiress' ire, trying and failing to hide the grin blossoming on her face. It _was_ a pretty good name, at least in her own private (public) opinion. Hopefully the it'd grow on her in a few years. If not she had a dozen more where that came from.

"...But seriously. Isn't this a bit much?" Yang decided to drop to humour for a moment, looking around uncomfortably at all the flashing lights of various emergency services and trying to tune out the yelling civilians.

Weiss was about to respond, only for one of the VPD officials to come running up towards them with a flashlight aimed their way.

He… well. Suffice to say, he did not look like the most cheerful of fellows. More 'one less coffee away from slumping in exhaustion'. He was, also, gripping his holstered sidearm rather tightly.

"You two! What do you both think you're doing? Get back behind the line! This is an active crime scene, not a-"

"...Sir." Weiss interrupted with all the forceful grace of a true Schnee executive. "We're students at Beacon Academy. We have reason to believe our teammates may have been near the docks and possibly involved in ensuing firefight that subsequently occurred."

The officer blinked. Paused.

"Just one moment." he stated, taking a moment to use his shoulder-mounted radio and belay whatever question was being sent his way by his superiors, before barking back a few choice words of his own. He glanced their way. "You two must be the other ones from their team. Come this way."

Weiss nodded curtly, shooting a superior look over at Yang, whom had been about three seconds away from flaring her aura by the looks of things. The blonde brawler pouted slightly, before giving a friendly smile towards the heiress.

"Looks like you have some talent after all, Weiss. Good work." Yang admitted. Weiss assumed it was as close to a compliment as she was going to get.

The heiress rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face was too apparent to miss. "Come on." she whispered back to her teammate as they chased after the officer, falling in tow as he walked towards a nearby tend. "Officer. What precisely has occurred here?"

"...Your teammates have been taken in for questioning alongside several others following a severe firefight that occurred in this area. Don't worry." he stated, adding on the last phrase when Yang looked ready to interject. "It's merely standard procedure for situations like this. We are well aware that your two teammates were clearly there to assist in fending off the White Fang incursion."

"The White Fang was here?!" Weiss blurted out in surprise, she glanced over at Yang who seemed equally distressed with the news. "...The dust shipment..."

"Shit. Wasn't meant to say that part." The officer muttered gravely. "Look. Don't tell my superiors. But suffice to say a lot of nasty shit went down here, yet it could have been far worse if not for them stepping in when they did. In my opinion, your fellow students are heroes. If I could do anything to speed up this process and get you all out of this crime scene and back to Beacon, I would have."

It was a silent trip after that.

* * *

"...Weiss. Yang. Oh, oum." she muttered softly, "I'm _so _sorry for everything that I've caused."

She was swiftly pulled into a hug by her blonde-haired teammate. Blake could feel the strong arms wrapping around her smaller frame and, to be quite frank, she melted into the embrace with all the grace that her exhausted body could muster.

Blake had been the last to be interrogated by the VPD, having only finished questioning mere moments before her teammates had been led over to her location. With her bow still being '_processed'_ her faunus features were in full view of her teammates. She had certainly considered bolting the first moment she got, but had ruthlessly crushed the thought.

She owed her team that much.

The heiress looked away from the display, frowning slightly. She held herself, looking more than a little uncomfortable.

"Psh! It's fine." Yang said with a soft tone and a forced chuckle. "Where's Ruby?" she asked curiously, separating from her friend. "It's not like her to, well, not be here. Is she still in questioning or something?"

Blake shook her head ruefully, smiling at the memory. Ruby had been the first to be interrogate when the VPD arrived, bouncing this way and that as she babbled about helping stop the bad guys once again. She almost felt sorry for the poor interrogator that had to attempt to follow her speech patterns. The look on his face was probably the one thing that kept her spirits up after this horrid disaster.

Ruby's interrogation had been followed shortly by her own. After-which, it was time for the strange doppelganger of her leader. The woman hadn't said a word to her or even glanced her way as they passed by eachother, instead remaining laser-focussed on young Ruby. She was more than glad about that, to be frank. The woman gave off a rather unsettling feeling, especially after watching her tear through Blake's own former companions with a nought but smile on her face.

There had been no remorse. No hesitation. Blake had realised, right then and there in the heat of battle, that the White Fang hadn't stood a chance against the woman. They were nothing but sport to a woman like her.

_The way that woman moved, however... It was unnatural. _

She still shivered at the memory.

...Penny and Sun had been interrogated shortly after that.

"She was the first to be interrogated, Yang. By the time it was my turn to explain things, Ruby was just finishing up. She said she was going to wait for me at the pier… You should be able to catch up with her if you want." she offered, slumping as the exhaustion began to set in. "I'm… I'm done for the day. I'm going to head back to Beacon and-"

"No."

Yang frowned at the heiress' sudden voice. She didn't exactly like the tone that Weiss had used. It was far too similar to the tone of voice that Weiss had used right before Blake had inadvertently revealed her past.

"Weiss… don't you think she's had enough?"

Blake gave a bitter chuckle at the thought, half-formed memories flickering to the surface of her mind uncaring of her desires. "No, Yang, it's... it's alright. It needs to be said. I-"

"No. We're not doing this here in the middle of a crime scene. Yang can look for Ruby. You've clearly been trapped in this place for far too long. We're going somewhere private." Weiss interjects, a fierce glare held within her ice-blue eyes as she locked eyes with her.

Blake knew it was coming. Their talk had been long overdue. If it hadn't been for the severity of the attack by the White Fang, she'd half expected the heiress to just interrogate her right then and there. But it seemed the surroundings were too much for the heiress. A sentiment which she shared.

"Are you sure that now's really the best time, though?" Yang tried to interject again, frowning as she glanced between the two with worried eyes. After just getting Blake back, she didn't want another argument to occur and ruin things.

Blake almost felt sorry for the blonde. She'd explain everything to her once she could get away from Weiss. Impending rejection or not. Yang had been there for her, but… this was something that needed the heiress clearly needed to do without Yang or Ruby.

Weiss didn't bother to dignify Yang's question with a response, merely marching away from the girl with Blake in tow, uncaring of the crowd of bystanders or the VPD officials that watched their departure with frowns on their faces. The faunus could only level a solemn look at her blonde teammate as she was marched away.

Blake was just glad that it was Weiss that was taking the initiative. She didn't know how she could look someone like Ruby Rose in the eyes and tell her she'd once been a high ranking member of an extremist group that was now seemingly hell-bent on subjugating humanity. If she was placed on a podium, she hoped that she wouldn't be able to see the look in her leader's innocent silver eyes.

They passed a small dust shop. The same one that had been hit by the White Fang several days ago, where the group had encountered Kira for the first time, along with Sun and the detectives. There was still crime scene tape around the area. It had only just occurred to her how unusual the detectives had been acting at the time with Kirakishou, handing over a complete unknown entity to the first bunch of students they saw. To take to their headmaster of all people.

She was certain that wasn't proper procedure.

"...This will do." she heard Weiss mutter lowly, the heiress turning to face her. "...I am going to repeat a list of names to you, Blake. Before we get started explaining the past few days events, I would like it if you can tell me whether or not the names have any significant meaning to you. Okay?"

Baffled by the odd question, Blake could only nod wearily. She could feel a pit of unease sinking in her stomach. She just wanted everything to go back to what it was before. Before all of this happened.

She also desperately craved a bed. She was beyond tired at this point.

Yet what in the world could the heiress even be on about? Blake had been about three seconds away from spilling her guts about her past and everything, especially after-

Weiss coughed. It was less of one born out of actual need than a call for attention. Evidently the heiress wanted her full attention. After everything that had happened, she owed her that much in the very least, provided she could even stay awake.

"...Kali Belladonna. Ghira Belladonna. Sienna Khan. Adam Taurus. Ilia Amitola."

Each name felt like a knife in her gut.

"Kali and Ghira. They're, well..."

How does one explain things like this?

"...They're your parents." Weiss interjected softly, glancing off into the distance as if recalling some past memory. "Ghira was the former High Leader of the White Fang, before Sienna Khan took over when you were three years old. You had a plush tiger toy that you named Sie-sie in honour of her. The first time you told your father its name he laughed for what felt like an hour to you."

"Y-Yes." Blake stammered, eyes wide as saucers as she stared disbelievingly at the girl infront of her. She hadn't expected Weiss Schnee of all people to have such an in-depth knowledge of the White Fang. But after her childhood experiences, she shouldn't have been so surprised as she was.

Something in the heiress' gaze told her that Blake's response had been the last thing that Weiss had wanted to hear.

"Which means," Weiss spoke up once more, face less certain. She had paused a touch longer as she glanced away, giving Blake the impression that the heiress wasn't entirely sure if she even wished to continue her line of thought, "Adam Taurus was your… partner, in the White Fang. You loved him. Ilia Amitola was a childhood friend who followed you into the White Fang. Adam is a bull faunus, whilst Ilia is a chameleon faunus. You cared for them like they were family. They cared for you far more than that."

Blake looked down at her feet, unwilling to meet the heiress' gaze. Having her past thrown in her face like this right after finding out how low her former partners had sunk was simply too much for her to handle.

"...So you had it too, huh?" Blake could only mutter, despondent and more than a little lost.

Of course it had been too good to be true. Too terrible to be a simple coincidence.

"Excuse you?"

"You dreamed of my childhood. Whilst I dreamed of yours." Blake clarified immediately, giving a hollow broken chuckle at not realising it sooner. "…And here I had reasoned it up as a fluke of sorts. I'd assumed it was just information I'd seen before but simply forgotten over time. But it was all true, wasn't it?"

She turned her gaze upwards. The heiress had backed away, eyes wide and face a few shades paler than it had been prior to her reveal as Weiss pieced together what she was implying. She doubted that Weiss had expected the conversation to turn against her so quickly.

Blake took a step forward. "Winter Schnee. Your elder sister. Whitley Schnee. Your younger brother. Jacques Schnee. Your horrific excuse for a father. And finally…"

Weiss found her back hitting a nearby wall, unable to step back any further.

"Please don't say it. Please."

She soldiered on. It _needed _to be said.

"Peter Tarkus." she spat out the name, glaring angrily at the trembling heiress. "I've spent my entire life thinking he was some twisted sociopath with no care for life and yet no, he was like a father to you! An actual, caring father. He did everything he could to ensure you grew up happy. I had to watch through your own damn eyes as the man responsible for twisting Adam into the depraved beast that he is today just… give you a cupcake for your birthday. I watched him sing you songs and comfort you when Winter left! I watched him act more like a father than your actual father _ever _did. I don't-"

Weiss sniffled, the sound making Blake's eyes dart up in shock. She trailed off, the fight leaving her almost as quickly as it had came. She wiped her eyes of the tears had that threatened to gather amidst her tirade. Her throat was sore and she desperately needed some sleep. She suspected that the heiress was feeling much the same if she'd been forced through a similar night to her.

Damn it all.

"...He was, like you said, more of a father to me than my actual father could ever hope to be." Weiss muttered lowly, staring at the ground as if it would give her the answers she craved. "I had no idea that he was even a warden of that horrid place, let alone such a twisted man. He had seemed so nice. So friendly. I-I was always told he was a councillor who conducted his business outside Atlas, up until the day he died."

Blake remained silent, trying to ignore the memories that _weren't hers_ which continued to assault her mind.

"When I was told it was the White Fang who responsible for his death, I couldn't understand why they would want such a man dead. But now, I can understand why they did it. And I hate that I understand. But I do."

Weiss looked at her, tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Blake. Oh oum. I can't believe it's actually true. I-I'd known that some people can be rather harsh towards faunus at times but I'd always assumed… Oum. What a mess. I don't know what to do."

Despite herself, Blake snorted rather loudly. She knew it was in poor taste, but she didn't care. It was all just so utterly ludicrous of a situation to be in. Especially with _her_. Weiss levelled an indignant glare her way and she felt a sudden rush of regret wash over her.

"Sorry." Blake muttered reflexively. "I just never thought something like this would happen. All over a couple of weird dreams and a slip of the tongue in the heat of an argument. I came to Beacon to get away from my past, not have it thrown back in my face in such a horrific manner. But, in a weird sort of way, I'm almost glad it happened."

The heiress' furious expression softened almost immediately. "I understand what you mean. Were it not for the dream, I'd likely have given it no second thought. After all, your words and position at Beacon had implied you had already departed from the White Fang. Enough time had passed in close proximity to you where if you had hostile intentions towards me you'd likely have acted upon them. If anything, I respected you too much to simply pass you off because of your past."

"...Glad to know I once held your respect." Blake muttered sarcastically, inwardly wondering how in the world she'd managed to get the heiress to actually feel that way towards her. She'd barely spoken to Weiss after their orientation at Beacon.

"Oh, shush you. You still do. Oum knows you do, after everything that's happened." the heiress admonished, though there was a hint of embarrassment on her cheeks at the (likely inadvertent) slip up. "But I am glad that things have transpired the way they did. For what it's worth, you do have my apologies for the choice phrases I used to describe the faunus. It's been made abundantly clear to me that there is quite a lot about the current state of affairs than what Father has told me."

That was an understatement of the century, she mused. But it was likely the best she was going to get out of the heiress, especially after the dream had apparently shattered the poor girl's worldview. Hell, Blake herself felt like she was running on fumes at this point.

"We, ah, we should probably get back to Beacon." Blake managed. "I've cause enough of a hassle in running away. I would like nothing more than to put this all behind me."

Weiss gave a broken imitation of a curt nod. It was not that impressive. "Y-Yes. O-Of course."

"...I have no idea how we're going to explain all of this to Ruby." Blake muttered absently, shuddering at the very thought. "Because you know she's going to be asking about it. Either that or she'll sic Yang on us."

The heiress groaned in despair, mumbling something vaguely akin to annoyance at the idea of how that particular confrontation would play out. Blake smiled at the sound.

She wondered how long it had been since she last smiled.

The door slid open for her.

Kirakishou's room seemed… well, barren for a lack of words. There wasn't any posters or paintings on the walls to be seen. Nothing at all. The bookshelf was empty. There was nothing in the way of furniture excluding four beds all neatly arranged. All in all, it looked like a carbon copy of team RWBY's own dorm room, before they had added their own personalised touches.

Resting within one of the four beds, however, was Kirakishou.

She lay atop the bed-sheets, resting in a sleeveless white nightgown as she lay asleep on her side, curled up with a serene expression on her face. Moonlight shone brightly throughout the room, crawling inside without any curtains to curb its momentum. Her porcelain skin was illuminated before Ruby's silver eyes. Her ball-jointed limbs were on full display.

She looked rather-

...Wait. What?

'_Your friend sent me here, my little jewel.'_

Her mind recalled her mother's words in her ear. Oum, she could almost hear them.

"...You… You're a doll too..." Ruby blurted in shock.

She wondered how she hadn't guessed it before. Kirakishou's regular dress had sleeves that were short enough to have easily revealed the ball-joints on her wrists. She'd been in close proximity to her enough times in order to have at least chanced a glance at them.

Yet she hadn't even noticed something as mindblowing as this. Not even once. And here Ruby thought was finally getting good at studying people.

There was something different with Kirakishou's doll form, compared to her mother's. With Summer, it had seemed almost uncanny. Like it wasn't meant to be. Yet Kirakishou held an almost otherworldly allure to her. Entrancing yet subdued. Yet there was an intensity that Ruby could _not _deny.

Kirakishou shifted suddenly and her single eye slid open, snapping towards Ruby's direction. Ruby was at her bedside in an instant, rose petals trailing in wake of her sudden burst of her semblance. Part of her blushed when she realised their close proximity, but she was far too concerned with her friend's condition to care about her silly thoughts for now.

The doll pushed herself up into a sitting position with a slow mechanical movement. Considering the way her limbs twitched, Ruby could see that whatever Kirakishou had done, it had clearly weakened her physically. She could her the girl's limbs _creaking, _for oum's sake.

"...You came." she breathed, her voice a whisper as her lips curled into a weak smile. Ruby had to strain to hear her words. "I knew you would come. But I feared you wouldn't."

Despite everything that had happened in the past few hours, Ruby felt her gaze softening immensely. It hurt something fierce to see her friend in such a fragile state.

"Of course I'd come check up on you, you goof. I promised I'd be there for you, didn't I?" she retorted with as much humour as she could. The doll merely smiled at her. "But..." Ruby forced herself to continue. She had to know. "You're a… You're a..."

One of Kirakishou's hand weakly reached up to grab one of her own hands. It was cold to the touch. Yet perfectly smooth. Ruby could see the ball-joint in her wrist.

"Rozen Maiden #7. _Kirakishou_." she finished for her. "...The last time I revealed myself, I was attacked and sent back to the N-Field. When I awoke, I hid my true appearance. But when I wanted to give you a gift, Father's craft was the only way _She_ could be made manifest."

Ruby sure as Oum didn't know what in the world the 'N-Field' was, but she doubted it had been where Kirakishou was intending to wind up in. But she could understand it slightly. Apart from the whole 'talking doll' thing, it was likely similar to how some people had acted towards the faunus in the past. Mistrusting them, sending them away.

So Kirakishou hid who she was in fear of what people would think of her. After the whole ordeal with Blake, she owed it to herself to keep an open mind about such things.

Even if such things were talking dolls hiding away in cargo ships.

Kirakishou may be different, yes, but all in all she was still a lonely, broken girl. Ruby could relate to that.

She wondered what could have happened with the last person she-

Oh. So that was it.

"...Jun." Ruby whispered. She felt, rather than saw, Kirakishou's reaction to the name. "You revealed yourself to him, didn't you? Your sisters helped him send you away, because he chose them over you. They all turned against you, no matter what you did..."

Oum. No wonder why she hadn't told anybody about her appearance. She wasn't just doing it out of fear of discovery or something like that. She was doing it out of grief. Ruby almost couldn't believe that Kirakishou, her friend, the one whom she had vowed to care for, had been suffering under such agony and she hadn't even realised.

The girl always put on such a dopey smile and was always so… grabby with her. With everything that had been going on with Blake, the White Fang and Roman Torchwick, she hadn't thought that maybe her friend's reactions were more than just being overly friendly. Perhaps they were hiding something.

That perhaps it was the efforts of a lonely girl trying to reach out to others.

Ruby wasn't stupid. She read books and watched movies. She could tell, from the brief times Kirakishou had spoken of Jun, that the man had been someone Kirakishou had greatly cared for. She'd loved him. Possibly that boyfriend-girlfriend love, or something similar. Either that or it had been heading that way. Then, Jun had chosen her sisters (plural, which was all manner of weird) over her and sent her away. Kirakishou had done… something. Offered him something. But he'd still chosen them over her.

It had torn the girl up in more ways than one.

Obviously that kind of awful experience would have traumatised the poor girl beyond belief. Ruby of all people could understand this. She herself had been much the same when her mother had disappeared. Whilst she'd been too young to realise what had actually happened at the time, the pain of losing the one person she cared about more than anything in the world… it had broken some fundamental part of her. She'd never been the same since that time. Yang had tried to pick up the pieces, her and dad, but they hadn't quite understood how she'd felt. They'd just tried to move on, each in their own ways.

'_Just keep moving forward, Rubes. One step at a time.' _was what Yang always used to say to her whenever Ruby would have a bad day. She wondered how long it had been since her sister had said those words to her. How long had it been since she'd needed to hear them?

Kirakishou hadn't said a word since her revelation and her eye had darted away from her the moment she said it. There were tears flowing down the left side of her face. She was trembling. Ruby could hear the minuscule sound of Kira's artificial body creaking as the doll shook in her spot.

In that very moment her friend was at her weakest point, she could tell. It was a painful sight to witness.

She looked very much like one of those broken toys you would find in the trash. Unloved and unwanted.

"...Is that why you did it?" Ruby prodded as gently as she could. She had to know. "Is that why you brought my mom back? You thought that if you gave me my mom, I wouldn't abandon you?"

The blonde's eye had snapped to stare at her again, widened in surprise. In an instant, she turned away and looked down, cheeks burning brilliantly.

Inwardly Ruby wondered how in Oum's name a doll could even_ blush _in the first place. But for once she was just glad she wasn't the one with reddened cheeks.

But the flustered response from the blonde had certainly confirmed what Ruby had been suspecting all along. Even if r-resurrecting her mother would weaken her and possibly reveal her status as a doll, Kirakishou had done it anyway. Just to secure Ruby's friendship. She'd decided that the risks were worth it, just to have Ruby there with her. Even after everything that had happened in Kira's past to scar her, she had still pushed forward and done something so, so…

Monumentally impossible. Just for her. She'd sacrificed her chance at being a normal girl, just for her.

Steeling herself, the red-clad reaper pulled her hands free of Kirakishou's grasp and moved to cup the girls cheeks, absentmindedly wiping away her tears as she forced the doll to look at her. Against her cold porcelain skin, feeling the warmth of her tears was _beyond_ weird. But she chalked it up to yet another unique feature about the girl in front of her. One of her hands brushed against the petals of the flower that covered her right eye. It was also quite warm and abundantly soft again her skin. Full of life. A sharp contrast to the rest of her.

She tried not to flinch at all the weird thoughts running through her head. Doll anatomy was rather different to what she was used to, Ruby decided.

"You're more of a goof than I am sometimes, you know that?" Ruby giggled at the blonde's befuddled expression, shaking her head in dismay. "You do remember what I said to you at the garden in front of Beacon on the day that you came here, don't you? I said that you're not going to do this alone." she reaffirmed, trying not to choke from the sheer emotion that was rippling through her. Her body was trembling. "I'm _not_ going to leave you, Kira. I'm _not_ going to choose anyone else. I'm _here_. Right now in this very moment. With you and you alone. And I wouldn't ever want to be anywhere else."

There was a sudden silence at the blonde seemed to process her words, her lone slit amber eye staring deep into her own eyes. There was an expression on her face that Ruby couldn't quite place. Something right between fragility and disbelief, if she had to guess.

Ruby didn't precisely know how things progressed after that.

She felt herself tentatively pulling Kirakishou closer and tilting her head ever so slightly, watching idly as her long blonde hair bobbed to the side. She felt her eyes slowly close. She felt soft cold lips against her own and she felt herself push forward. It was an odd feeling, really. It was almost as if she was both floating above the clouds and drowning in a deep ocean. She could feel her heart beating a hundred miles an hour, but in that precise moment it was as if the world was completely still. It was just them. Her and Kirakishou. Together.

She wondered if what she was feeling was her first kiss.

Ball-jointed arms shakily wrapped around her frame, tentatively pulling her closer.

That was odd. There was this strange metallic taste-

Her vision flared a brilliant white.

* * *

**A/N: **

It's _finally_ happened. Ten chapters building to this single moment in time.  
We're nearing the end of the first volume, but we're not done yet. There are still many plans in motion.

Please, let me know what you all think of current events.  
I hope you all enjoy. I look forward to publishing more.


	11. Chapter 11

Yang didn't precisely know what to feel at the moment. Hell, she was sure most of her team was roughly in the same predicament as she was. Especially her baby sister. This was beyond what a first-grade huntress team leader was supposed to be able to deal with, she was sure of it. Everything had been completely blown out of proportion until Team RWBY was left to pick up the pieces.

_Oh Ruby… Not even a single semester down and you've already been involved in such a major incident… _

But her baby sister was a strong soul. Yang knew that she could handle anything thrown her way. She'd inherited that part from her parents, without a doubt. On one side, a part of her was frankly quite impressed that Ruby had caused such wanton devastation to a bunch of terrorists. Clearly she was strong enough to handle practically anything that Beacon threw her way.

_Then why does it hurt me so much to see you go through all of it, Ruby? _

…Yet the fact remained that Ruby had been forced to become so strong… so very quickly. She wasn't even _sixteen_ years old for oum's sake, yet she had ascended to joining Beacon Academy two years early as some form of prodigy, been placed as the team leader _and _Ruby also assisted in stopping not one but _two_ major crime sprees all in the span of a few mere _months!_

She shouldn't have had to grow up so fast.

Nobody should have to grow up so fast.

It wasn't right.

Not for Ruby.

Ruby deserved to have her time to just enjoy life, rather than delving deep into all the seedy parts of the world and trying to fix everything. All that she was doing was setting herself up for a major disappointment down the track. Simply put, the world was never going to change for the ideals of one girl, no matter how hard she tried. That's not how the world works.

_...Perhaps reading all those fairy tales to you as a kid was a mistake. _

_...I cannot even begin to imagine how you're dealing with it all, Rubes. Oum. I'm so sorry._

_I wish we had never had that stupid argument._

Everything was spiralling all out of control.

Yang felt as if she could no longer help her baby sister anymore. That she had _failed_ as a sister. As a _protector_.

"Ruby I..." Yang trailed off.

What could she even say?

Yang wasn't sorry for the things she said to Ruby in the heat of their argument. They needed to be said, if not now then sometime later on. She was just sorry for how she went about saying it. Admittedly Yang wasn't the type of girl to sugarcoat things. She remained firm that Kirakishou was a bad influence on the girl and she wasn't budging on her opinion any time soon.

The girl hadn't done anything to prove to her that she was a good friend to her baby sister. Causing this whole argument was just icing on the cake.

Whilst this was just another petty argument for her, Yang knew that Ruby would be taking things far more seriously with everything going on. She was always a bit too into the drama of the world when something got to her, no matter how hard she tried to put up an image of an easygoing girl.

Ruby was a vulnerable little soul.

But the fact remained that she needed to put on her big girl pants and get over it quickly. There were bigger problems to deal with at the moment then simple relationship drama. They were in the middle of a _crime scene_, for oum's sake. There wasn't any time for moping.

Yang just needed to show her baby sister the truth. Then she'd understand.

She had spotted her sister, sitting down at the edge of the pier with her legs dangling off the side over the water as she gazed up at the sky. It was heavily overcast at night and, coupled with the power outage in the area, Yang could barely make out her baby sister.

Yet she didn't know anyone else that wore a cloak.

The figure turned slightly and angled their face her way, staring back at her. Yang could vaguely make out the shimmering silver orbs her baby sister was known for, amidst her crimson-tipped black hair. It was in a rather weird style that reminded her of-

"_Yang_."

That… that was not her baby sister's voice. Ruby had a rather high pitched tone after all, whilst this person's voice was rather low and melodious- a huge difference compared to her baby sister. Ruby had possessed that same nasally voice throughout all her life, to the point where it had become something that Yang loved to tease her about on occasion. All in jest, of course. But Ruby knew that. It was just something that sisters did.

This voice, however. It belonged to a single person. She knew who it was. How could she forget?

"M-Mom..?"

She hated how weak her voice sounded. How _pleading_ it was.

She was supposed to be beyond this.

A small smile etched its way across the woman's face. The same loving, nurturing smile that had haunted her childhood dreams for far too long. She could barely make it out in all this horrid darkness, but nothing could hide _that_. Yang felt all her reserves crumble in an instant.

In an instant she was rushing forward to greet her _mother_ in a hug, yet Summer didn't move from her seated position and Yang found herself stumbling to a halt before quickly taking a seat beside the woman when it became clear that she wasn't going to budge.

Now, Yang Xiao Long was not her baby sister, whom would no doubt be about three seconds from collapsing in shock at the mere sight of her mother. _She_, unlike her sister, had grown up with the knowledge that her mother was long dead and there was nothing else to be done about it. Whilst Ruby had eventually come to terms with things, Yang had known from the very beginning that her mother wasn't coming back from her final mission- whatever it was.

Dead is dead. There's no point crying about it. After all, her mother had gone out doing was she did best; kicking ass and taking names. Yang Xiao Long had stopped crying long ago, in order to move forward and protect her baby sister. She had become the woman of the family in Summer's absence, as difficult as it had been.

Whilst Summer Rose was not her biological mother, she was all but her mother in blood.

Yet… despite her hardened heart, despite every core aspect of her mind _telling_ her that was she was seeing was most certainly impossible… there was no denying that the woman sitting beside her was indeed Summer Rose.

"How… I don't…. _how _are you even here?!"

Summer gave a brief, bitter chuckle as she continued to avoid Yang's gaze, staring up into the sky with a solemn look on her face. She looked _tired_, for lack of a better phrase. A huge contrast to the slayer of grimm and baker of cookies that had been there for a good portion of her early childhood.

"I've been asking myself the very same thing for the past few hours, little bloom. At this point, I'm sorry to say that you probably know as much about this situation as I do. What a strange time it is that I've found myself in. I'm still trying to come to terms with things."

...As much as Yang wanted to, she didn't pry. This was _her mother_. Well, her surrogate mother but her mother nonetheless. And besides, Yang wasn't stupid. There was clearly something going on and she didn't know enough to just snap and make a rash action. Even if the anticipation was killing her.

She was afraid that if she said the wrong thing, this delusional fantasy would break apart and be gone forever. It was stupid, but it was how she felt.

Of all the times she, as a child of course, had fantasised about seeing Summer Rose again… this was most certainly _not_ how she was expecting things to play out. She had been assuming a tearful reunion straight out of a film; some magical declaration and a reveal of some major scheme that had saved her life.

Instead, they were just two women sitting at a pier after a large battle. No hugs. No kisses. No tears.

Summer's presence appeared almost subdued. Like she was barely even there. Her mind flashed back to a traumatised Blake when she and Weiss had found their missing teammate right after she'd finished being interrogated by the VPD. The girl had been quiet and soft-spoken. Skittish.

Who wouldn't be after a battle like _that?_

Her mother had probably went through the same thing. Yet still, she could count on a single hand the amount of times that _Summer freaking Rose _had ever been _this_ calm. Most of her memories of the woman were of her going a mile a minute over this and that. She was like… _super-mom_ or something. Endless energy, just like her daughter.

Seeing her so detached was unsettling, to say the least.

_What in the world had happened to her? _

"...It's almost funny." Summer voice found its way to her ears. She sounded rather faint. "I never expected something like this to happen, Yang. One moment I'm leaving to go on some urgent mission into oum-knows-where… the next thing I know is that years have passed and I'm racing through the night to reunite with my daughters… who I learn are training to become huntresses. _At Beacon _of all places_._" she breathed incredulously, shaking her head in disbelief. "Oum. How insane is that? What… what in the world happened?"

Yang kicked her feet idly as she tried to think of a way to explain things. It was all she could do to keep her mind straight. Nothing that Summer was saying was actually making any kind of sense to her, but right after fighting off faunus extremists she guessed that _anyone_ would be a little frazzled.

It was still weird as heck.

"...After you… well… dad kind of shut down, you know? It wasn't a sudden thing, but it wasn't that gradual either. Even Ruby picked up on it, though she was still too young at the time to even understand what had happened. We lost contact with Uncle Qrow for… oum, probably a few years in the least." she chuckled slightly as a memory flashed before her eyes. "H-He just… stumbles in one day, reeking of booze. Yet little Ruby, she didn't care in the slightest, even though it was _far_ past her bedtime she bolts down from her room and tackles him in a hug. Of course he picked _that_ moment to pass out. Poor Ruby was so worried. She thought she hurt him or something."

Her mother laughed softly alongside her own fond chuckles. It was a choked sound that had escaped the older woman, one filled with emotion that clearly showed her mother was trying to do everything in her power to not cry out. Yet it was, without a doubt, Summer Rose's unique tinkling laughter.

To hear the sound in person hurt more than anything else that Beacon had thrown at her so far.

"...I wouldn't have expected anything less." her surrogate mother answered in a far off tone that probably has about a thousand different meanings that Yang could only begin to grasp at.

"But _what happened, _Mom? Why- _How_ are you here?"

Summer smiled ruefully, staring deeply towards the starlit sky. With the moonlight reflecting off her skin, what little that was able to poke through in an almost completely overcast night at least, it painted her mother in an almost ethereal manner.

"...I'm… I'm not entirely certain."

Yang rolled her eyes at her mother's declaration. She'd known her mother enough to realise when she was hiding something.

"Come on, mom. Please just tell me. You owe us an explanation in the very least, me _and_ Rubes."

Her mother flinched as if scolded, an odd creaking sound breaking the silence after her words. Yang assumed it was just the rickety old wooden planks of the dock. They would probably need to get out of here soon, then. Getting dunked in cold seawater was the _last_ thing she wanted right now.

"I don't know, Yang. I… my memory. It's foggy. Clouded. I can't remember a thing after I left for my… last mission. I'm sorry."

_Summer Rose had lost her memory of the one thing that killed her._

* * *

_Ding…. Ding…. Ding…._

Oh, how Glynda was beginning to loathe that infernal elevator sound.

There had been a time where the deputy headmistress had complained to her superior about the utter pointlessness of all elevators, whether they be for student or staff use, playing infernal musical tunes as they ascended or descended across the various floors of Beacon Academy.

It had been unnecessary.

Ozpin… well. The man had been alive for quite some time and developed some _eccentricities. _Such things were rather common amongst those in any form of command, especially those whom possessed a strong aura and had manifested a semblance. It was a rather well-documented study, actually.

Whilst she was appreciative of some form of concrete knowledge to explain _why_ damn-near every single hunter or huntress she interacted with tended to have rather odd personality quirks, she was beginning to despise the 'quirk' of her superior.

_He was a vindictive little thing. _

There was a saying that her mother had told her, long ago. At the time she had discarded them as she had discarded many of her mother's words beforehand. Yet, it was clear that the woman had in-fact been one of the smartest people in existence.

"_Do not poke the bear." _

Headmaster Ozpin was many things. A headmaster, a leader, a warrior, a bastion of knowledge and wisdom.

'_He is, also, the most spiteful little monster I have ever encountered.'_

Much to her surprise at the time of submitting her report on the inane pointlessness of elevator music, the headmaster had listened with rapt attention and personally saw fit to remove the speakers himself.

Only to boost the volume of something far, _far _worse.

'_Ding…. Ding…. Ding….'_

She was also of half a mind that the esteemed headmaster, in all his knowledge, had saw fit to slow down the elevator by only the slightest fraction so as to throw off her usual timing. It was beyond agitating.

Yet she had certainly learnt a valuable lesson.

Probably.

'_Ding._' the elevator chimed a single time, in a much deeper tone. The doors flicked open.

Headmaster Ozpin was sitting at his desk, sipping his mug of hot cocoa in the middle of the night without a care in the world. Where most, herself included, would have taken the precious weekend off to finalise class schedules in the modest comfort of her own home, Ozpin was one whom felt most at peace with himself in the very academy he saw over.

It was almost solemn, really. Alone in a tower all day and night with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She briefly wondered how such an individual could continue fighting, let alone _teaching_, after so many endless years.

For a moment, she pitied the man she worked for.

And then she remembered his horrid pranks and decided that she wasn't going to put too much thought into attempting to understand such a man.

"...Glynda."

"Sir. I have news you might want to hear about."

Ozpin sighed immediately even as his eyes narrowed in alertness. It was a tired, weary sigh that betrayed his true age for a brief moment.

"Go on."

She nodded affirmatively. "There have been a few things that have occurred recently. First, there have been some rather disturbing rumours regarding the girl that was originally discovered at the docks, she-"

"...Kirakishou, I assume." Ozpin interrupted. "That is the one you're speaking of, yes?"

"Yes."

The long exhale that come from the headmaster spoke volumes. It reminded her much of the sigh that Ozpin had given her when she had originally spoken up about the elevator music. He was tired. More than she could likely hope to understand. "...I see. And these rumours are?" he questioned neutrally.

Cautiously, Glynda continued. "There were sightings of strange, vine-like growths originating from her dorm room. From eye-witness reports gathered by students, the vines match the one mentioned in the Vale Police Department's report of her initial interrogation and assistance capturing Sun Wukong. Albeit these vines appeared far longer, growing much like roots."

It was a rather odd thing to have several students speak to her about such a matter, concerned that the school was being overrun by some plant-based semblance or somesuch nonsense.

"I take it that you wouldn't be here speaking of these rumours if the problem was as immediate as your wording implies." Ozpin stated flatly, sipping from his coffee.

It was true. Had the situation called for it, she would have contacted Ozpin through more immediate channels. The fact that he both understood this and was appearing so calm spoke leagues of the faith he held in her abilities as a Deputy Headmistress.

She nodded appreciatively. "Yes. It has been resolved. When I went to investigate, there was no visible evidence of such a thing existing and I saw no damage to the academy structure. However, several students took pictures of the incident and I was able to gather a few of them. I believe you may wish to see them." Glynda explained, accessing her scroll and sending the necessary files to Ozpin's holodesk system.

The headmaster stared at the pictures for a brief minute or so, flipping through several of the pictures before finishing at a single picture. It displayed Kirakishou in the background, speaking with a flustered Ruby Rose. Ozpin frowned slightly and hummed, before dismissing the display and returning his attention her way.

"...Certainly an odd display." he stated eventually, sipping his hot cocoa with a rather considerate look on his aged face. "Yet it is a nonissue for the moment. We may question her on the eccentricities of her semblance at a latter date. It was a given that there would be some… difficulties in handling an outsider. She is not like other students, whom have been through years of monitored tutoring. Her semblance is not as fine-tuned as most."

She knew that look he gave her after his little speech. That damn knowing half-smile hidden by his seemingly never-ending supply of hot cocoa. He had some thoughts on the matter that would likely be of great interest to her. But she surely wasn't going to be getting any information out of him at this point, until he _wanted _her to know.

That was simply the way that her superior operated.

_Compartmentalisation_, he called it. Psh. It was completely unnecessary for something like this. Unless the situation became one where he would require her assistance, she doubted she would ever hear the man speak of it again.

Regardless, she dropped the issue and opted to continue with the rest of her report. All she had wanted was for him to be aware of the current happenings of the school. It was up to Ozpin to decide what to do with the knowledge. She had far more pressing matters with which she needed to inform him about, now that her observations had been voiced.

"Will that be all, Miss Goodwitch?"

Glynda shook her head. "No, sir. There is more. Much more."

"By all means, then, please continue."

She took a brief moment to steady herself, before doing as the headmaster had requested. "...Roughly five hours ago, the VPD was called in to assess a possible terrorist attack on the Vale General Hospital."

_This_, she noticed internally, seemed to surprise the headmaster. His eyes, which had previously been teetering on the edge of tiredness and an attempt to remain serious in the face of what he likely assumed to be another boring report, had hardened considerably.

Oncemore, the deputy headmistress sent over the necessary files to Ozpin's holodesk. A scrolling text appeared facing the headmaster. Through the holoprojection, she could see Ozpin's eyes quickly reading through the rather detailed document and assessing the damages.

The most import part, however, was most certainly the headline which gave a rather prompt summation of events.

_**VALE HOSPITAL INCIDENT**_

_**78 DEAD.**_

The headmaster blinked. Once. Twice.

He gave her nought but a single word. It was enough.

"_Explain._"

She nodded curtly and ran through what she could understand from everything that the current acting police commissioner had spoken to her about during his call.

"As of five and a half hours ago, hospital staff began reporting consecutive failures in the intensive care unit of Vale General Hospital. Multiple patients fell into cardiac arrests of increasing severity and promptly lost their lives. Others experienced life support systems failing for an, as of yet, unknown cause. Multiple patients under comas, whether they be medically induced or through other means, spontaneously passed away. The coroner currently believes multiple organ failure to be the cause. All cases occurred within the same ten minute window. As it stands, there are only twelve people from the ICU that are still left alive. They are being monitored heavily."

Ozpin leant back in his chair, face pale and distraught. It was more than obvious that whatever news that he had been expecting from her report most certainly hadn't been this severe.

Were Glynda to be honest with herself, she was also having a rather difficult time understanding it all. It seemed completely out of left field, without rhyme or reason. Completely and utterly ludicrous. A sudden death toll reaching this high in a medical facility of Vale's level of class was unprecedented.

Yet the reports didn't lie.

"...Are you suspecting sabotage?" he eventually asked.

"If I may be blunt sir," Glynda began slowly, "there is no doubt in my mind. Neither illness nor routine failure can produce such a result. Vale General also operates with several backup generators in the event of a power outage, none of which appeared to have activated during that time period even with several systems failing simultaneously. Sabotage is the possible explanation I can think of."

"...Do you believe _She_ is involved?" he questioned quietly, as if he hadn't wanted to ask the question in the first place.

She could understand why he had asked her that specific question, despite his apparent unwillingness. With Amber's current condition, targeting a medical facility in the hopes of ending her life was a distinct possibility. Yet it was ultimately for this exact reason that she could rule out the Enemy as being involved. She shook her head.

"No, sir. They would know that we would never keep Amber in a public facility. Considering current theories about the size and scale of her operation in regards to the Maidens, if they were to attempt an assassination it would have been a covert mission. Nothing of this scale."

Ozpin nodded slowly. Glynda wasn't ignorant enough as to believe the headmaster was _glad_ that their adversary hadn't been involved, yet it did bring up a certain question. If it hadn't been the work of humanity's greatest threat, _who was behind all of it? _

"...Do you believe the White Fang were behind the deaths, then?" he asked. She blinked at the question. The headmaster typically refrained from discussing matters regarding the White Fang, preferring to focus on the current situation with the Fall Maiden. The question was, thus, rather surprising.

Once more, Glynda shook her head, taking the time to adjust her glasses.

"No, I do not believe so. Faunus were amongst the deceased. Whilst the White Fang have been taking a notably bloodier approach especially in the Vale region, they still haven't been accounted for any faunus deaths. It is widely believed to be one of their main recruitment points, especially considering the knowledge of their infrastructure provided by Miss Belladonna."

"I see." Ozpin stated gravely. "This is most distressing news, particularly at this time. Most distressing indeed. Yet I cannot help but wonder..." he trailed off, looking thoughtful.

"Ozpin?" she questioned curiously.

The silver-haired man glanced off to the side for a moment, before refocusing.

"There was another event that occurred during that particular time-frame." he stated, much to her inner surprise. She hadn't been notified of such. "Are you aware?"

Disparaged, the deputy headmistress shook her head.

Ozpin gave a slight, bitter chuckle. "I see. I'm not surprised. With everything going on at the moment the VPD _is _stretched rather thin." he muttered as he stroked his chin in thought. "There was an attempt by the White Fang to steal a Schnee Dust Company shipment this evening. Blake Belladonna was able to interrupt the thieves in the act. A small firefight broke out, which soon erupted into a rather chaotic battle involving Team RWBY."

_The White Fang? _Glynda thought, blanching at the very prospect. _Why in the world would the White Fang target an entire shipment of dust in the middle of Vale? _

_Yet the sheer amount of dust contained in an entire Schnee company shipment… much of it rather volatile to weapons-fire. It's a miracle that none of it went off. The chain reaction would bring down most of the downtown quadrant before emergency services had a chance to go off. With the VPD already stretched thin…_

She froze. A thought occurred to her.

_Does Ozpin believe this incident with the White Fang is related to the hospital massacre? _She wondered in a mix between disbelief and horror at the very prospect. She peered into the brown eyes of the stoic headmaster behind his spectacles. _Use the panic created by the hospital incident to keep law enforcement occupied whilst they haul away the dust? Was that their plan?_

Yet there was a glaring weakness in such a strategy.

_The faunus deaths. _Glynda realised, eyes widening. _The White Fang would never stoop to killing their own kind in order to further their own goals. At least under Sienna Khan's rule they wouldn't dare to. If anything, Sienna would have attempted to prevent the attack if she had known about it occurring. Unless things have changed with Sienna's rule, which is unlikely, it would mean that the White Fang likely isn't involved with this. Yet the sheer timing of such things… for it to be mere coincidence cannot be possible._

_Thus, the two have to be connected in some way. _She realised. _But… how? There's something I'm missing. Some major clue. Some peculiar piece of the puzzle..._

Ozpin's near-silent chuckling broke her out of her thoughts. "Difficult to wrap your head around, isn't it?" he stated sardonically, "I myself have been attempting to understand the nights events ever since reports started to flood in. Your own report has only served to exacerbate things. However..." he glanced down, reading an alert that had buzzed on his scroll. "I do believe we know of someone who can provide some answers."

Before Glynda had the chance to say anything, she heard an all-too familiar _'ding'_ sound as the elevator doors opened behind her. She whirled around, shooting a glance at the headmaster at the apparent breach of security.

"Hello again, Headmaster Ozpin. Professor Goodwitch. It's… well, it's certainly been a long time, hasn't it?"

_Summer Rose_ stood at the elevator, shuffling awkwardly.

A woman who Glynda Goodwitch most certainly knew was dead was standing before her.

Glynda reached for her weapon, only for the headmaster to send her a discrete shake of his head, directing his gaze at the _dead_/alive woman.

She wasn't armed.

...She wanted to _talk?_

"...It's Deputy Headmistress now." she corrected automatically, the words already out of her mouth before she could think to stop them.

Ozpin ignored her blunder, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the impossibility.

"I do believe we have much to speak about, Mrs Rose."

Silver eyes stared back at him silently for a few moments.

"We do indeed, headmaster."

* * *

"Weiss…_ please… it's too early… not nowwwwwww." _she groaned out from underneath the covers, even as the horrid heiress from Atlas pulled relentlessly against the sheets that protected her.

"_Ruby Rose _if you do not get out of that damn bed this very instant, I shall make it my life's mission to ensure that you _never_, and I most certainly mean _never_, lay your hands on a single cookie for the rest of your long life."

She was out of the bed in an instant, jumping out and landing on the floor in all the sudden frenzy that her sleepy body could conjure. She sent a wayward glare to the Schnee Heiress, only to receive a harsh one directed right back at her.

Damn those Schnees could glare.

….Suffice to say, Ruby Rose was glad that activating her aura was second-nature to her now, or else she'd have some pretty bad bruises, judging by the disparaging frown the heiress was sending her way.

Even after however many hours of sleep she'd managed to get, it still didn't feel like enough. Her body ached all over and there were was a distinct tingling sensation in her bones that she hadn't been able to rid no matter how hard she tried. There was a slight ringing sound in her ears, too. Like how her ears used to ring when she was still getting used to Crescent Rose for the first time.

Getting back on point, the clock on Wiess' bedside table was still rather blurry, but she could tell that they were probably pretty close to some early morning lecture or something if _Weiss_ of all people was forcing her up.

She could hear the shower running in the background.

"...Blake is in the shower at the moment, getting ready for class. Class that starts in _an hour_, need I remind you. Honestly, how can you sleep _this_ late, Ruby? I distinctly remember you being the one to awaken the rest of us on the first day of classes."

Ruby glanced away from the heiress as she moved to gather her clothes from the wardrobe. Truth be told, she had managed to get back rather late from Kirakishou's room after-

_Oh oum. _

She'd kissed Kirakishou. She… she'd actually…

Even now she could still feel the sensations ghosting across her skin. The coldness of her lips, the softness against her own. That odd metallic taste, tingling against her very being. If she closed her eyes, it felt as if it was still happening to her. A repeating memory, occurring over and over and over again.

There was an intensity that had been held behind the kiss that had originally thrown her for a loop when it occurred. Pure emotion, flooding every fibre of her body. Her vision had flashed and… something…

Come to think of it… she wasn't entirely sure _what_ had happened after the kiss. Everything was a bit hazy.

She vaguely remembered walking back to her dorm room and somehow managing to slip on her pyjamas before passing out on her bed. But…

"Ruby..?" the concerned voice of her teammate broke her out of her thoughts, she blinked at the heiress, "...Are you feeling okay? You're not sick on the first day of class, are you? You completely zoned out just then... and you're looking a bit pale." the heiress added on, levelling her with a scrutinising appraisal.

She waved off the heiress, trying not to wince at the brief flare of pain from her arm. "It's _fine, _Weiss. Really. Just got a lot on my mind at the moment, you know what I mean?"

_Like my mom resurfacing and tearing apart White Fang grunts like tissue paper. Like one of my teammates actually being a former White Fang member with kitty ears. Like Kirakishou resurrecting my mom as a doll, like whatever happened last night to trash my memories._

Weiss' eyes softened immediately, something that she was beyond grateful for.

"Would you like to talk about it? If you're feeling stressed, you know that we're all here for you Ruby. No matter what."

Ruby smiled tiredly at the heiress, giving a small nod that belayed how truly grateful she was to hear those words. "...I'd like that, Weiss, I _really_ would. But it's nothing that I can't handle."

"Whilst the past events have been rather, well, _troublesome_ to say the least, it seems as if things are beginning to slow down again. Team RWBY is back together just in time for classes to resume." Weiss began, only to sigh and slump as she moved to sit on the side of her bed. "Well… for the most part."

Ruby blinked. "...Um..."

"Count yourself amongst the fortunate that you woke up this late." Weiss deadpanned, sipping her morning coffee. "It would seem that your _darling_ sister has discovered a whole slew of horrid cat-related puns that she is now able to use against Blake, now that her heritage has been revealed. It took about three minutes this morning before Yang was threatened with bodily harm and promptly thrown out of the room."

Ruby winced. Her sister was many things. One hell of a fighter. The big sister to end all big sisters. A popular, easy-going girl that seemed to get alone with almost everyone- a trait she was rather jealous of actually. But a _comedian_, though? Not… not so much. Well, at least in her own opinion. Who knows, maybe there is some unfortunate soul out there that actually found Yang's awful puns to be an endearing trait.

Well, except for dad and Qrow of course. Poor things.

"...Sounds rough." she answered sympathetically. "If it helps, she'll probably run out of ammunition in a couple days when something else catches her eye. We just need to survive till then and we'll be fine."

Yang was always like that. It was one of the things that made her originally look forward to spending her final couple years at Signal Academy without her sister there, before she was pushed forward into Beacon Academy.

"_A couple days?!" _Weiss repeated in alarm, before slumping in her seat. "...Admittedly, sometimes I cannot help but wonder about the happenings in your family in order to produce such, er, _interesting_ situations."

RWBY's team leader gave a low chuckle. It was, perhaps, filled with more than a little self-loathing than she intended. "...You really don't want to know."

_Mom's death really changed us all, didn't it? _She thought morosely, mind flashing back_, I cannot help but wonder how things are going to be now that she's back._

The sounds of running water in the background finally ceased and Blake soon exited the bathroom as she was fixing up her ribbon, sending a hesitant smile their way.

"Regardless." Weiss shook her head, "You should jump in the shower post-haste, Ruby. You won't have much time before we have to get to class on time. _Hopefully_ Blake left _some_ hot water for you." Blake blushed in embarrassment at the tone, yet said nothing. Oddly enough, the heiress sent a rather teasing smile towards their faunus teammate.

Ruby gave a tiny nod, grabbing her things. She was about to move towards the bathroom before something caught her eye and her heart hammered in her chest.

A small thorned metallic ring lay nestled on her finger, adorned with a red rose.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Another chapter down. Writing Yang's thoughts was an interesting exercise. Hopefully it provides some insight into her rationalisations and beliefs regarding the current situation.

Thank you all for your continued support.


	12. Chapter 12

"_Do you understand me?" _

Ruby's eyes snapped open at the sound. That same, soft voice calling out to her.

She had heard it before.

Kirakishou.

"_Do you understand me?" _

It repeated again. Same whispery tone. Same inflation.

She would hear it every night, ever since she had met Kirakishou.

The first time she had heard the voice, it had frightened her a little bit. The dream was so utterly unlike any of her regular dreams, so utterly _different_ from her day-to-day life, that she always found herself on high alert whenever it happened. She had always believed dreams to be simple things, really. They were silly and didn't make sense most of the time, but there was a simplicity to them behind it all. Something that just _clicked_. You didn't feel anything, you didn't experience anything, but you could just barely understand what was going on. It was almost like a poorly written film playing out before your very eyes.

These dreams with Kirakishou's voice whispering in her mind were _not_ Ruby's typical dreams.

It felt as if she were floating in a void. An abyss. Yet it was not the all-encompassing darkness that her mind assumed it would be. It was infinite, yet it was limited. Ever-growing. All for her.

_It was beautiful. _

Crystalline. Reflective. Refractive. It swallowed her whole and, no matter how hard her body tried to send her conflicting signals, she would feel a sense of comfort at its presence. There was a kind of freezing aura within the crystal field, one that nurtured her very spirit. It kept her safe. It kept her happy.

The first time she had seen it, she had been overwhelmed.

"_Do you understand me?_"

The same question would be asked to her in a language she did not know, but could somehow understand. Every night. It was not a dream where she was falling, nor one where she was fighting or running from something. She almost wished that it was, so that she could make some sense of the whole thing.

Ruby was just… _there_. Existing within this crystalline world, warmed by a cold chill in a place with no wind. Breathing air that doesn't exist in a place that she knows is false.

The only part that would change would be how much she would witness before she awoke.

She would originally find herself in a forest of ivory. Ashen trees and bone-white plants growing in a field without colour, held tightly by a thick fog that obscured her silver eyes. It had almost looked like some twisted mockery of the Emerald Forest, albeit one with less monsters. There would be a densely packed cluster of crystals in the distance that she could barely make out, growing deep into the sky and towering above everything else.

_A palace. _

_A Palace of Beginnings. _

Eventually, she would find herself in the palace itself. There was no furniture within this palace in her dreams, no hallways to guide visitors, nor any personalised touches of any kind. Just a long plane of cut crystal with which to stand upon where strange growths of crystal grew at odd intervals across the ground, walls, and ceiling. These growths shimmered with a brilliant glow unlike any she had witnessed in the waking world, illuminating the pale surroundings for her.

Kirakishou would always be there in the very centre, waiting for her. Ruby would shiver when that lone amber eye would rake across her body. But she would never hesitate. She would find herself finally responding to the doll's constant repeating question, yet she could never hear the words she said. She could never _understand. _

But she could most certainly see the effect that her nonsensical response had on the blonde girl within her dreams.

Every night, her doll would smile for her. She would never reply verbally to whatever it is that Ruby said, but her smile was always there for her.

It was heartbreaking to witness that smile, again and again, day after day as more and more of Kirakishou's history was revealed to her. Each time, her smile would pain her. Each night, the smile on the blonde-haired girl would hide a different meaning. Fear, hope, worry, desire, longing. They warred within her smiles and reflected against her very being.

Kirakishou was a unique girl, she knew that now. Despite her status as an _artificial creation_, she was still just a young little girl who had aspirations and dreams like everybody else, regardless of her body's origins. She was still able to experience the world and, no matter how much Ruby had wished it hadn't occurred, her doll had witnessed terrible things throughout her life. Things that Ruby could see had warped her in ways she was still figuring out herself.

In the end she was just a broken, lonely girl trying to put herself back together. She had chosen to bond with the one girl that had bothered to take an interest in her; Ruby. Her darling doll had chosen _her_.

Kirakishou would pull her close. A breath would escape her involuntarily at the motion. She would always find herself getting lost in that lone amber eye as it came ever closer, to the point where Ruby could swear she could almost see her own reflection staring back at her.

The dream would end and she would awaken in her dorm room. She would forget immediately, only to remember when she inevitably fell asleep the next day. And so the cycle would repeat, over and over and over again.

However, it was on the fourth night, that Kirakishou spoke back to her when their faces were mere inches apart.

"_...Let me embrace you."_

* * *

Ruby awoke in a cold sweat, her heart hammering in her chest. She was sweating all over, the sheets clinging tightly to her pyjamas.

She could still vaguely recall a dream of some kind. It had to have been something pretty crazy to startle her awake like this. Probably something really cool. She wished that she was better at recalling her dreams, though. Ruby figured with an imagination like _hers_, her dreams would probably make some good movies or something.

Or at least a small cartoon series. It wouldn't have the best financial backing in the world and would probably air on TV during the same time as another major series that would steal most of her would-be viewers, but it would still manage to be a damn good series nonetheless. Though probably only a short-running series. A cult classic, perhaps?

With an internal groan at her wayward thoughts, she rolled over on her side, glancing down from her bunk bed towards the tabletop sat below the curtains in the middle of their dorm room.

_3:10am. Eugh. Of course._

The rest of her team wouldn't be up for a few hours yet. Whilst it _was_ technically a school day, Beacon Academy thankfully didn't start even their earliest classes until an actual respectable time so that students had enough time to wake up and have a nice breakfast before getting ready for class. It was one of the many countless things that had made Beacon Academy her number one choice for a Huntsman academy back in the days.

She remembered that they had, without a doubt, the most _weirdly informative_ brochure _ever_. A bunch of her friends from Signal had been put off by it all, but Ruby had loved how much attention they placed into their school. Especially because a certain birdy had told her that her _own mother and father_ had once been Beacon students, along with her Uncle Qrow and Yang's mom.

_To think I'm actually here, two years early, following in the footsteps mom once took… it's still hard to wrap my head around it sometimes. I wonder if you're proud of me, mom. I hope you are._

_But even if you weren't, I wouldn't have it any other way. _

For once in her life, Ruby felt as if things were finally turning in her favour. That all of her hard work, all of the countless hours she had dedicated to her goal of becoming a huntress just like her mom… were actually starting to pay off. So what if she didn't talk to the old gang back at Signal anymore? If they weren't going to bother sending a _single message_ to her, then she was going to bother with them at all.

She had new friends. New teammates. People who she could rely upon. She didn't need fakes. Ruby was on a path to becoming a true huntress. She didn't have time for people like that. She was going to make her mother proud.

…_3:12am. Wellp. That was nice whilst it lasted, I guess. _

_Might as well get out of here. No way I'm just laying here waiting for crabby-pants to wake up first. _

With a skill born from years of escaping her older sister from their joined room back in Patch, Ruby quietly exited the Team RWBY dorm room in nought but her pyjamas. It wasn't like it really mattered, anyway. Nobody ever got up at this time, especially of all the teams she knew. She had a few hours to herself to clear her mind.

The corridor was barely lit and it was a little bit difficult to see. Most of the lighting came from small fixtures in the ceiling that remained dimmed until later in the evening when students were heading to bed. The rest of the light came from natural lighting let in by the windows on either side. Yet it was clear that the sun hadn't risen yet. Probably wouldn't for another couple hours. There was, however, a nice amount of moonlight illuminating the area for her.

Regardless of visibility, it was nice to wander the halls without any deadlines or obligations of any sort to tear her focus away. Ruby had always possessed a curious mind, after all.

If she listened closely, she could hear what sounded like Nora's snores coming from across the hallway. At least, they were _probably_ Nora's. Could be Jaune's for all she knew. Or, oum-forbid, _Pyrrha's. _Whilst the so-called 'Invincible Woman' was actually rather shy in person, Ruby had the sneaking suspicion that there had to be _something_ going on with her.

What was it that her big sister would say..?

_It's always the shy ones. _

Yes, that was it. Or, at the very least, it sounded right to her.

Ruby continued wandering around, no real goal in mind as she let her feet take her on her own little journey. She had forgone bothering to put any slippers or anything on in fear of accidentally waking up her team, so the cold of the ground was beginning to get to her a bit. Though it did feel kinda nice in a weird way.

She made her way towards the window in the far corner of the corridor. Each storey of the Beacon Academy dorms held a small balcony for students and faculty to relax and enjoy the beautiful views offered by the surrounding area. If she remembered from the brochure, this set of dorms presented a view over the… Emerald Forest..?

Huh. There was somebody out there, sitting on the stone bench and staring up at the moonlit sky. Guess she wasn't the only one who had trouble-

A small gasp escaped her.

_Kirakishou. _

There she was.

Following the event at the docks with her mother, it had been made clear that Kirakishou had been considerably drained. To the point where the doll had been too bedridden to actually attend the first classes of the new semester with Ruby. Whilst she had tried, valiantly, to stay by the doll and tend to her as she recovered, Miss Goodwitch had assured her that her desire to help her friend was _not_ a valid reason to skip classes.

...Miss Goodwitch was kind of a jerk sometimes, now that she thought about it.

But still, inconsiderate teachers or not, Ruby had quickly become far too busy to have any time to visit the doll once the term had started up. Oftentimes, she would find herself being forced to communicate with the doll by her scroll, but even those messages were few and far between. On the other hand, Kirakishou had without a doubt, the _fastest_ response times ever.

Like, _down to the second_ fast. It was crazy. But it certainly wasn't reliable. Ruby was just too busy to hold a proper conversation, no matter how much she wanted to. Especially after everything that had happened.

Yet now, _there she was_. Just sitting there without a care in the world.

She seemed rather melancholic, if Ruby could put a word to it. Though that may be simply because she'd searched up the word earlier on in the day to use in one of her assignment. Yet still, it seemed to fit.

Ruby almost laughed. Here she was, finally seeing the doll again… and she didn't even know what to say.

"You found me." Kirakishou's frail voice called out amongst the cold night air, startling her something fierce. "You sensed me and followed your thoughts." the doll shifted, glancing over at her with a tiny smile.

Ruby tried not to swoon at the sight that greeted her.

It was almost something out of one of those picturebooks that Yang used to show to her when she was a kid. The beautiful princess, sitting solemnly in a serene moonlit landscape. Kirakishou sat there on the stone bench, clad in her silken pyjamas that Ruby had seen the night of her mom's resurrection.

"Welcome, my beloved Ruby Rose. Welcome to this single, abandoned moment held within your Beacon Academy. I am glad to see you can experience this moment by my side. Please. Come. Sit with me. I need you."

She tried not to appear too eager, but she wasn't entirely sure if she succeeded in her quest. Admittedly, she had been longing just to spend some quality time alone with Kirakishou and sort out everything that had happened with them. Oum, she didn't even know what to _call_ them. What even were they? Friends? Acquaintances? Fellow students? A couple?

_Looooovers~ _Yang's teasing voice called out to her in some dark corner of her mind.

With wobbly legs she made her way to the stone bench sitting atop the balcony, shivering slightly from the cool air against her skin. Whilst her own pyjamas covered a lot, they didn't do enough to prevent the wind from getting to her.

Whilst she attempted to sit on the opposite side, Kirakishou merely pulled her closer and snuggled up beside her. Ruby merely giggled a little and rested her head against the girl whom had somehow captivated her thoughts amidst all the chaos of the past few days.

"It is beautiful, is it not? The cycle between day and night. Production into tranquillity. Violence into silence. Despite all that happens in this world, the song always remains the same. It amazes me how so many can take such a thing for granted." Kirakishou murmured, glancing down at the landscape below them. Her voice sent pleasant vibrations down Ruby's spine and she found herself struggling to hear the girl.

"W-Well, I guess..." she muttered.

Whether Kirakishou heard her or not, she wasn't entirely sure. "...I have watched people for many years, Ruby." the blonde continued, her voice distant. "People _work _and _work _and _work_, yet they never have the time to truly appreciate their achievements. They never see the world that they have forged together. They never can see the fruits of their labour, only the hardships of their own existence. It is a baseless, lonely existence that for most ends meaninglessly. How can a garden hope to thrive, when every seed is the same?"

The blonde fell silent after those words, opting instead to wrap an arm around Ruby's side as she continued to stare out towards the landscape.

To Ruby, it was becoming pretty obvious that Kirakishou wasn't exactly a _normal_ girl compared to everyone else. Even with her obviously traumatic past and her sudden appearance of Beacon, the blonde doll held an inquisitive mind and a keen desire to observe and understand the world around her.

It reminded her a lot of herself, but Ruby was more interested in weapons and huntresses compared to Kirakishou's more philosophical discussions. But still, it was really cool just to have someone who seemed _interested_ in the world, instead of going through the day-to-day motions just like she said everybody else seemed to be doing.

It was nice to meet another curious mind.

A hand cupped her cheek, startling her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Kira glancing down at her. _Oh_. It seems in her thoughts she'd slumped down on the bench, resting her head on Kira's lap without even noticing it. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment and she went to move up, but the doll held her tightly.

She most certainly didn't expect that from Kirakishou. If anything, those delicate little doll limbs of hers clearly held considerable strength even in her weakened state. Not nearly as strong compared to some of her sister's bear hugs, of course, but it was still enough to stop her in her tracks momentarily.

"…Don't leave." Kirakishou called to her. "Stay with me in this moment. Please. Just for a little longer."

Something about those words almost made her melt. "...Okay." Ruby hesitantly responded, trying to relax as much as she could whilst inwardly dying of embarrassment at her current position. Of the brief times she'd managed to sneak a glance at the books that Blake was always reading in her spare time, Ruby was suddenly reminded of a particular passage involving a couple characters in a position just like this one.

...Ruby inwardly wondered if it was really so much of a bad thing to occasionally have thoughts like that, especially those featuring a girl she only met at the end of last term. They _had_ kissed after all. They were clearly more than friends, even if they hadn't exactly given a name for their relationship yet. But still, it wasn't like she was thinking these thoughts about some random person or whatever.

They held a connection, Ruby realised as she glanced at the rose ring held on her finger, a connection so utterly fierce that it made her body tingle at times. It had come out of nowhere, blindsided her in the middle of a team crisis, yet she would not deny that it felt wonderful to experience.

Ruby wanted more.

She snuggled a little closer, cheeks aflame. Kirakishou merely hummed at the motion, idly running her ball-jointed fingers through her hair in a way that she could slightly feel the little seams of Kirakishou's artificial joints against her own scalp at times. It was oddly relaxing in a way.

Did headpats count as a 'base'? Ruby had heard her old friends back in Patch saying that things like handholding and headpats were special in a way. _Intimate_. She hadn't really been listening at the time (or even cared about such things) and Ruby was certainly regretting putting all _that_ aside to focus on building her weapon. She wondered if all that _intimacy_ applied, or if it was just a friendly gesture on the doll's part.

Either way, it felt nice. So Ruby decided to just shut up and enjoy it whilst she can. She'd focus on all the weird relationship stuff later, when she wasn't laying out on a balcony in her pj's with her crush.

But she had to say _something_. She didn't want to be _awkward_.

"W-Will everything be okay with Mom? I mean… if people realise she is a doll..."

The idea scared her more than she would like to admit. Whilst _she_ was accepting of Kira's situation and understood why she did what she did for Summer, Ruby doubted that many would understand. A lot of people thought of dolls as either a children's crutch or uncanny valley stuff. She didn't want to… rock the boat, so to speak.

"Nobody else will realise. I have made sure of it." Kira stated softly, continuing to rub her hair with a slow, repetitive movement. "Only you will know her truth. The rest will see her as nothing but a human woman. It is a simple illusion. Regardless, I built her. No matter where she goes, I will always be able to find her. I'll always know where she is. She will be safe, held within my garden's nurturing glow."

_An illusion_. Ruby fell silent as she digested the words. It was probably the same as whatever Kira did to keep others from seeing her own doll form, considering the sheer number of times she should have been discovered before all this occurred. She was probably just too weak after resurrecting her mom to hide even herself at the time that Ruby found her.

...What to say, what to say… she definitely didn't want to focus on the weird little sensations her body was experiencing at the time. Let alone _voice_ them.

"-Did you hear about the big food fight we had in the cafeteria before, Kira?" Ruby blurted suddenly, before flushing in embarrassment and forcing herself to continue. "I-I wish you were there to see it! It was so _crazy!_ There was this big fight and we all used our aura to make the food into makeshift weapons! Like… Weiss was fighting with a _swordfish!_"

She was only just realising how weird it was that the Academy staff served a full swordfish for a midday lunch. Let alone some of the other crazier things that were there.

"It was soooo _wild_! Team JNPR -I'll introduce you to them later- made this whole big fort out of the desks and chairs and stuff and we were fighting them with all the stuff… I was all like 'ka-chow!' and 'thwish!' and-"

A small finger tapped her on the nose. She blushed in the middle of her babbling, her tirade crawling to a halt as the doll leaned down and pecked her cheek softly. It brought back a sudden reminder of their first kiss and it was _more_ than enough to stop her speech in its tracks.

"I saw your fight, beloved Ruby. My sight extends far. You were very proficient with your red rose petals. You were beautiful."

_Kira saw the whole thing?! _Her mind screeched in alarm. _Wait, what did she-_

"T-Then why didn't you say anything!" she forced out with reddened cheeks when Kirakishou's words dawned on her. Honestly. _Beautiful_. Her. Ruby really wished that Kira would stop calling her all those things. She knew she was kind of plain in comparison to all of the other girls in Beacon. Especially considering they were two years older than her. The age gap certainly wasn't doing her any favours.

"But it's more than that, Ruby." Kirakishou pressed on, seemingly oblivious to Ruby's innermost thoughts. It took her a moment to realise what the doll was talking about. "You _defeated _them, Ruby. The invincible woman. The dead-last. The stoic and the unstoic. You defeated them all, and by doing so proved yourself the superior rose."

Ruby tried to fidget and shy away from the overwhelming praise, only to remember her current position offered her no safeties from the doll's amber-eyed gaze.

"I… um… I don't…. I don't think unstoic is a word." she eventually settled for calling out the doll on her weird choice of words. It wasn't as if she could argue with Kira on anything else. She was the _worst_ at receiving praise. Let alone, oum forbid, _talking about it_.

She'd rather do something, no, _anything_ else.

"Nevertheless, it is a rather accurate assumption of her character, is it not?" Kirakishou countered, gazing out into the distance oncemore. "Passion versus melancholy. Glee verses apathy. Nora Valkyrie is everything that Lie Ren is not. They are two sides of the same coin. A _matched set_."

Welp. That does it then. Ruby figured she had a pretty good idea of which side of a certain betting pool that Kirakishou was on.

"B-But _still!_" Ruby vehemently denied, perhaps sounding more than a little petulant than she intended, "_I _didn't really defeat them. It wasn't like an actual fight or anything. I just got lucky with my semblance. My team won in the end. I-I just did the final, er, _blow._" she responded, cringing internally at the inadvertent pun.

Kirakishou ruffled her hair, giggling cutely. "Oh no, Ruby. It was more than that. _You_ were the final one left standing. _You_ were the one who stood atop them all. _You_ became the 'Queen of the Castle' in that single, infinitesimal moment. You should be proud of your accomplishment, game or not. It was a sound strategy that defeated them all." she elaborated, cocking her head slightly and smiling in an endearing manner. "...Nothing less than what I would expect from my darling red rose."

Ruby went to challenge the girl, but the embarrassment was too much. She knew that, no matter how much she tried to dissuade the doll otherwise, Kirakishou was utterly convinced that she had achieved some crazy thing in beating Team JNPR. But it was just a simple _game!_ Argh.

"...Are you feeling better, Kira?" she decided to ask instead, pausing midway to let out a yawn. It _was_ three in the morning after all. It was probably better to move the conversation away from her supposed achievement, even if a tiny part of her did _really really_ enjoy all the praise coming from the girl she was crushing on.

Kirakishou didn't respond for a while and her 'petting' paused momentarily, Ruby quickly getting the impression that the doll was trying to think of a way to explain things.

"...I will." the blonde answered eventually. "...It will take time. I'm sorry."

Ruby smiled, opting to be a little bold and reach up, placing one of her own hands on the girl's cheek in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. She felt the tips of her fingers brush up against Kirakishou's flower and giggled at the little twitch that came from the blonde.

"Take all the time in the world, Kira. You've done something amazing. Really. I have no idea how such a thing is even _possible_, really, and I doubt I ever will figure it all out… but no matter what I'll always be thankful for what you've done. Mom was… _is_, everything to me. I became a huntress because of her, you know?"

Kirakishou closed her eye and smiled, nuzzling her cheek against Ruby's hand. She remained silent, seemingly content to let Ruby sort through her thoughts; something that the young reaper was incredibly grateful for.

It was difficult to talk about her mother, even to Kira. Something about the look on the doll's face had told her that Kira knew this and was simply waiting for her to continue. She appreciated the gesture, but it did little to ease the pain. Even after so long, thinking back to those first few days _hurt_. She had only ever confided to dad and Yang about these things before. But she felt that after everything that Kirakishou had done for her, she deserved to know a little bit about it all.

Ruby allowed her hand to fall back down, Kirakishou's lone eye trailing the movement intensely.

"...I lost her when I was very young. She was all I would think about. The idea of her just… _vanishing_ one day was crazy to me. But she did. And… I never really recovered. I'd lock myself in my room and… well. It's not important. It's over now."

Kirakishou's lone amber eye stared deeply into her own silver eyes.

"You were alone, as was I." Kirakishou answered, grabbing Ruby's hand that had been caressing her cheek and holding it softly. "...I knew it from the first moment that you glanced my way, that you had experienced a loss." she admitted, much to Ruby's surprise. "You had experienced that same agony of abandonment as I did, long ago. Yet you broke out from your prison. You began to walk on your own two feet. The world began to turn for you. For that, I cannot help but to admire you and the strength of will you possess. You truly are a wonderful rose."

Ruby stared up at the doll, something bordering on wonder shining in her tear-stained eyes.

She didn't exactly understand _how_ Kirakishou could glean all of that from a simple _glance_ of all things. Perhaps it had to do with her status as a doll, or perhaps she was just that good at reading people. Or maybe it was some weird saying she didn't understand. It didn't matter.

It was still embarrassing as all heck, though.

The words resonated with her, though. Some time in the past, Kirakishou had been confined and abandoned. Clearly before the whole 'Jun' thing. From what it sounded like, though, hers had been a lot more difficult to escape than Ruby's bedroom. At least, _physically_.

..._The agony of abandonment… _her mind repeated. She did not like that phrase.

Kirakishou gazed down at her hand, which Ruby belatedly realised was the hand wearing the ring that she had been given. "You were correct, when you stated previously that I had brought your mother back so that you would not leave me. I wanted you to choose me as your doll. I craved for it. Yearned for it, more than anything else in this world. And then..."

"..._I kissed you._" Ruby finished.

"You kissed me."

There had been a tiny part of her that still didn't believe that she'd done it in the first place. To think that _she _had taken the first move was so utterly out of character for Ruby. But she had _relished _the opportunity.

It had overwhelmed her very senses at first. In that single instant, nothing else had mattered in the world to her. She had felt like she was on cloud nine, nestled close to a shining beacon of love.

...That may have been one of her sappiest thoughts _ever_, but it was nothing less than the truth to what she was feeling.

Ruby _felt_, more than saw, the Rozen Maiden turn her attention oncemore to the ring held on her finger. Whilst she wasn't entirely certain on how she'd ended up with it after their last… _session_, she knew that Kira was behind it all somehow. Admittedly things had gotten a bit heated after their first kiss and her memories were still a little fuzzy.

"...Rozen Maiden are able to bond to others." Kirakishou began, fiddling with the ring in a way that made Ruby giggle from the ticklish sensation. "It was, originally, how Father intended his dolls to exist. When he confined me to the N-Field, I grew scared. I was alone. Trapped. How can I hope to bond with others when my presence cannot even be _felt_? How can I become a pure rose? After Jun, I gave up on the idea of bonding properly. With you, Ruby, that all changed. I wanted you, my lovely, precious red rose."

The doll moved to intertwine their fingers. The little creases in her ball-jointed doll hands felt just as weird against her skin as they had felt against her hair before.

Yet she didn't dare stop Kira from her movements. Ruby doubted she could even if she wanted to. She was transfixed by the doll, _dazzled_, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Ruby had never been in a _relationship_ with someone, especially not a _girl_, but… with Kira… well, a rather large part of her was giddy at the idea of being with the doll. If that was even a possibility.

Yet it was clear she had a lot more to learn about her doll.

"You, Ruby Rose, wear the contract ring of Rosen Maiden #7, Kirakishou. _Me_. You wear _my_ ring... I can understand now, what the other dolls were feeling when their mediums gazed upon them. I can finally be like my other sisters, without their interference. And it's all due to nought but a single glance at a chance moment. I can only wish that I had met you sooner_. Thank you." _

Kirakishou leant down and planted her lips against hers in what was clearly intended to be a small, chaste kiss. And just like that, her idle thoughts and worries came to an abrupt halt as pleasure relentlessly assaulted her senses. It set her very nerves alight. Eagerly, she pulled the doll closer and leaned her body into the kiss as much as she could, a moan ripping itself from the depths of her heart as she tried to prolong the feeling as long as possible.

Her lips were soft. Cold, yes, but so inexplicably _soft_ against her own.

She loved it.

The blonde doll pulled back, smiling at her even as the slightest of pink hues filled her bone-white cheeks. "...A doll shouldn't like that as much as she does..." Kirakishou murmured, her voice a mere whisper.

Ruby, meanwhile, was trying to calm her hammering heart. Her vision had blurred a little for a moment there, but thankfully she hadn't passed out this time. So that was a plus. Her nerves were _on fire_, though. Gosh, she was shaking and it certainly wasn't because of the cold air. But at least she was still improving! Hopefully Kirakishou thought she was a good kisser. Because, by oum, that doll was _amazing_.

"...When you say it like that, it _really_ makes me want to kiss you again, you know." Ruby admitted huskily, trying to resist the urge to, well, do exactly that.

Kirakishou gazed at her then. It was a different look that what she normally received from the doll. She liked to think that she was getting rather good at judging Kira's facial expressions. That one, however… Ruby could easily admit that she had _never_ had someone look at her like _that_ before.

It served only to accentuate the _need_ rushing through her.

"…You might pass out if we do, dearest rose."

"…If I say, 'worth it' will you continue?"

Kirakishou's lips curled into a small, mischievous smile.

_Yes. _

This. This was what she had been wanting, ever since she arrived in Beacon Academy. Ever since she had begun to weave her vines throughout this institute built to train the defenders of humanity and faunuskind alike.

Ruby Rose.

_My lovely, precious Master. _

_You're all mine. _

_Mine. Mine. Mine._

Kirakishou gave a small, childlike giggle as she shifted Ruby's weight slightly, so that the young huntress-in-training would be more comfortable in her embrace. The warmth of her body was quite intoxicating against her pure frame.

Poor Ruby had passed out some time midway through their third kiss, her senses overwhelmed by the entirety of the N-Field pressing down around her- sans her Palace of Beginnings, which remained rooted within her dorm room. The energy that Ruby possessed, her _aura_, flowed freely now that Ruby had become her medium. It was a beautiful, nurturing warmth that both Kirakishou and her Palace of Beginnings craved ever more.

She was growing stronger, her Ruby. To endure the weight of her pure form _and_ a rapidly expanding N-Field for so long proved just how special Ruby Rose truly was. Any other Master would have been drained dry and collapsed from the strain. Yet where others would fall, Ruby Rose proved to her again and again that she could stand on her own two feet.

For now, she allowed herself to relish this moment of tranquillity between Master and Rozen Maiden. She basked in the sensations offered to her by the sleeping girl in her lap, stroking her crimson-tipped hair much in the same way she had seen the girl's mother do when she was younger. Ruby unconsciously smiled and murmured nonsense, snuggling closer.

It was beautiful.

A beautiful moment.

The time would come when this instance of Beacon Academy would suffer greatly. She knew that. Whether it be by the hands of the conspirators who meet in the shadows of dark, by her own power or even by the machinations of her very own Father, she knew that eventually this fragile peace would become undone.

There were too many variables to control. Too many minds set on the destruction of this place, each possessing a sense-of-self easily strong enough to resist many of the subtle pokes and prods of her meagre N-Field.

Father would become an issue. That much was certain. She knew this, deep within her core.

Father was not one to let a Rozen Maiden slip from his grasp.

Father would be forced to act.

Father would realise what has occurred, how the Alice Game has been torn asunder.

Father would send his pet.

_Father would try to manipulate Ruby Rose. _

_F-Father… _

_**Father would have to go. **_

She giggled softly, careful not to wake her precious master. Her shoulders shook with unadulterated mirth, even as she fought to contain the excitement welling up within her pure form at the very thought.

This world she had made her home, it was finally beginning to turn, as she knew it would.  
And with Ruby Rose by her side…

Kirakishou would finally be able to walk on her own feet, as the perfect girl.

All that she needed to do, was to grow stronger.

The oncoming calamity would be made to nourish her. It was the only way. All Kirakishou needed to do was determine the most effective method.

_Hina-Ichigo's purity, Kanaria's pleasantry, Shinku's nobility, Suigintou's gallantry, Suiseiseki's ferocity, Souseiseki's sincerity…_

_Father… I wonder… When you see my pure form, will you smile? _

_Because I will._

* * *

**_A/N:_**

Development in a fluff chapter is really fun to write. We get a glimpse of Kirakishou's dialogue at the current events and a small little display of her Palace of Beginnings. We're moving into Volume 2 with the food fight being referenced in this chapter.

But seriously, who in the world stocks a full swordfish in a school cafeteria?

Thank you all the recent reviews. See you all next time!


	13. Chapter 13

Emerald tapped her foot impatiently against the concrete, waiting for _fucking Roman fucking Torchwick_ to _finally_ show up to his own damn meeting. She had been stood in this horrid White Fang bunker loaded to the brim with extremists and explosives this way and that for the past two hours.

_It's like that man was tailor made to piss me off. Eugh. He's probably in the corner giggling at our dismay or some bullshit like that. Wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination. _

Cinder was pissed. Mercury was becoming more and more of a nuisance to deal with. _The leader of the Eastern branch of the White Fang _himself was beginning to growl in agitation and Emerald was not at all ready for another fight with the irate bull faunus. She just wanted to go back to her damn apartment and bathe for atleast an hour. Hopefully by then she'd wash the _stank_ off her.

Hopefully.

She just _knew_ that if she raised a fuss about all of it, Torchwick would make some thinly veiled pun at being _fashionably late_.

Damn that man. Damn that man and his… actually, if he wasn't such a jerk she'd be quite tempted to ask where he picked up that particular shade of-

No. It wasn't worth thinking about. Everything involving that man seemed to cause her no number of headaches. Even moreso than Mercury at times.

"Apologies for the delay."

Torchwick strolled in, looking none too pleased with the situation so far. His outfit was a tad dishevelled and his hair could use a brush. There was a young girl walking beside him in a colourful little outfit that vaguely reminded her of a certain brand of ice cream. Small little thing.

Eyes of a killer, though. Probably hired help of some kind. Not someone to be taken lightly, considering the malevolent smile curling up on her lips.

_At least we can finally get this show on the road._

"You're late." the White Fang leader called out, his voice barely above a snarl.

No wonder why, really. Poor bastard must _loathe_ working with humans. To be forced to wait for one in his own damn compound for so long must suck.

"Our mutual friend here does make a fine point." Cinder readily agreed, a false smile on her beautiful face that sent pleasant shivers down Emerald's spine. This could turn ugly. "You _are_ quite late, Roman. This meeting was scheduled for several hours ago. Whatever was the problem? As you are aware, this is not the time for dawdling. We cannot afford any further complications on your part."

Torchwick's eyebrow twitched in agitation, the hand holding his cane gripping the weapon far tighter than before.

Yet Emerald knew the man would do nothing. He was a survivor. He knew, without a doubt, that he was a dead man if he started anything _here_. The man would be torn to shreds the moment he whipped out his cane.

Especially against her mistress.

_Puns or gunfire. Here goes nothing..._

"Forgive me for laying low for a short time after the VPD begun their crackdown of our little _schemes_, Missy. Not _entirely_ sure if you've noticed, but the local law enforcement has been whipped up into quite the fucking frenzy following the latest string of robberies you had me pull. If it is _any_ consolation, I have missed all the cheerful smiles of this little support group. Why, it physically pained me to be away for so very very long."

_Well I'll be damned. No puns or gunfire. Just when I thought I had the man figured out. _

He wasn't exactly wrong with his statement about the cops being out for blood. Word on the street was that the VPD was receiving huntsmen support now. Coupled with the security attache that were accompanying each of the huntsmen academies that journeyed to Vale for the Vytal tournament, there were a staggering amount of armed enforcement officers on the streets.

Now that Ironwood's fleet had touched down several hours ago, things were going to get even_ more_ fucked up.

Whilst it was clearly part of her mistress' grand plan for things as Emerald expected nothing less, until Cinder's plan reached its fruition (whatever it was, she hadn't the courage to ask) the extra security was going to become rather difficult to handle if Roman was to continue his constant string of robberies.

She'd prefer it if he actually stopped, actually. Hanging around the city was agitating enough without having shopkeepers breathing down her neck wherever she went. She still had _needs_.

Who'd even want to rob a fucking noodle shop anyway?! Eugh. People in Vale were getting too paranoid. They should just serve her damn food and stay away. Sheesh.

Because of the rampant paranoia, this particular meeting had been delayed several times. Emerald was just glad she could finally be rid of it.

One dead bookkeeper wasn't nearly enough to keep her entertained. Although, it might in the very least impress Cinder. She made a note to tell her mistress about her little diligent task later on. Hopefully it would make her smile. A true smile.

She wanted that more than anything.

"...Clearly I should never have leant you my men." the White Fang leader frowned, crossing his hands over his chest to display his displeasure. "Because of your incompetence, just over thirty-five of my brothers and sisters now sit in _human_ prisons, being punished like _animals. _I will _not_ allow that to stand."

The man, _Adam Taurus _if she remembered properly, stepped towards Torchwick threateningly.

Torchwick's small assistant took a step forward in his behalf, eyes flashing a brown shade.

She idly wondered if Adam were to get a good shot in, if he'd be able to cleave the pretty girl right down the middle. The man certainly had the strength to pull it off.

"_Enough._" Cinder cut in, voice hard. "We cannot afford bickering in the ranks at this time." she stated, glancing between the two men. "Nevertheless… Roman, our dear associate Adam here _does_ raise a valid question. How in the world did things escalate so severely? Surely there must be a reasonable explanation."

Torchwick sighed and gestured to his little henchwoman, who reluctantly backed off- glaring at Adam the entire time. The bull faunus, for his worth, glanced down at her dismissively before snorting and stepping backwards.

"...We were ambushed." he stated eventually, glancing away as if agitated to even have to explain his reason why. Or perhaps embarrassed.

Emerald was hoping he was embarrassed. Dragging them here at this time of night. Forcing them to wait for so _fucking long_. It was horrible.

She also wished he would stop pausing each time he spoke. It was beginning to get annoying. Which… was probably his intention. Eugh. Bastard could teach Mercury a whole new level of trash-talking. She shivered at the thought.

"_Ambushed._" Cinder repeated aloud, a touch of intrigue in her voice. "How? I know how you operate. There shouldn't have been a single dockworker there to interfere. Either paid off to keep quiet or dead. You're not one to allow people to slip through your net."

"They _were _dealt with." Torchwick ground out frustratingly. "These were outsiders. A single huntress and huntsman at first. Both looked young enough to be students, might be here for the Vytal tournament. First one comes up, shoves a blade to my throat and demands answers. Faunus, too. Rather quick for a kitty cat. Other one jumps down when the fighting starts."

Off to the side, she spots Adam twitch during the description, but the man opts to stay silent for a moment.

She wondered what the hell _that_ was about. Maybe the man hates the idea of faunus challenging him or something. Territorial? That could be it. But it sounded a bit racist even for her.

"My men would not fall so easily against _two children_." Adam states eventually, although his voice is noticeably less heated than before.

Torchwick shakes his head. "They weren't the last. The little lass who interrupted that dust store robbery a couple months ago? You know the one, red hood and everything? Squeakier voice than a fucking rubber toy?" he continues after a pause when Cinder's faction nods in remembrance of the event. "She was there too with one of her little friends. And some woman. I don't know _who_ in the world that woman is, but she was a monster on the battlefield. I couldn't stop her. Nothing our _associates _did slowed her down. She was shrugging off _bullhead _blasts. Hell, she managed to take out the pilot in one of them with a well placed shot. Damn thing nearly crashed into the shipment and would have blown us all into the next life."

There was a brief moment of silence that followed after that rant, with only the sound of Torchwick's frustrated huffing in the background.

A proper huntress then, by the sounds of things. A bloodthirsty one at that. Emerald reasoned that it was bound to happen eventually with one of Torchwick's robberies. He had been relatively careful in picking destinations that were typically out of the beaten path by most patrolling officers, but when it came to robbing _ammunition_, eventually there would come a time when he was faced up against one with the capabilities to turn all that weapons-grade dust against him.

The fact that he managed to get on a huntress' shitlist was pretty much an inevitability. But damn if the woman couldn't have picked a worse time to interfere.

_If any of those cargo crates actually did ignite… Huh. For once, I'm actually glad the Schnee take the time to properly secure their shipments. _

An explosion of that magnitude would cause widespread destruction, yes, but it wouldn't be enough to cause any damage to the structures her mistress would see eliminated. If anything, the explosion would cause mass panic and possibly lead to changes in the upcoming Vytal tournament over possible bomb scares.

It could have ruined everything.

"A single huntress caused all this strife?" Adam remarked, voice low as if deep in thought. He glanced off to the side, mumbling under his breath.

Cinder narrowed her eyes. "Something you have to say, Adam?"

The bull faunus took a moment, sighing heavily. He grit his teeth in agitation. "Some of the men who managed to escape _confinement_-" he shot a scathing glare at the thief before continuing with his speech, "spoke of a woman apparently strong enough to cleave whole bullheads in two. There was also a report of a young girl with swords capable of firing beams of light which _also_ carved up our bullheads. Originally, I had believed it all to be nonsense."

The girl with laser swords, they had heard about. She was one of the academy students that were competing in the upcoming Vytal tournament. From… _Atlas_, if Emerald remembered the dossier correctly. She hadn't thought much about it at the time. Yet clearly those lasers were _much_ stronger than anticipated. A girl with that kind of stopping power would shred in the competitive matches.

But the other woman? A semblance with enhanced strength, perhaps? That wouldn't do any good for them. It was far too common to distinguish down to a particular person.

Torchwick shot them a superior look, before glancing at the small multicoloured associate standing by his side and clicking his fingers.

"My beloved associate, Neo, here was able to hack into the dock security cameras and steal a copy of the recordings of the fight before she deleted them from their server. Thought you'd all be interested in seeing for yourselves..."

_Neo. _Emerald thought dryly, watching at the diminutive-sized girl pulled out a scroll and began playing a video file. _Play on words for neapolitan ice cream, I bet. No doubt what her favourite food is in the very least. Odd choice of a theme for a killer. Neat outfit, though. Wonder where she shops. _

Naturally there was no audio on the file. These were, after all, security files taken from a lone CCT camera that was clearly not the latest model. Nothing like any of the crazy Atlesian tech she had been forced to deal with before. Yet it still presented pristine video that was easily clear enough to show the white-cloaked woman ripping through White Fang soldiers like it was going out of style or something.

There were scarce few shots of the woman that _weren't _blurry from the sheer speed at which she moved, which was most certainly the direct result of a speed semblance. Some of her moves were particularly off-putting. Emerald didn't know the human body could even bend that way.

A single glance of her face, however, drew a sharp gasp from her mistress.

It was nearing the end of the video, with 'Neo' stopping the video as Torchwick, Adam, a still-silent Mercury and herself all stared at Cinder's rather surprising reaction.

Alarm bells were ringing in Emerald's mind.

Emerald had heard her mistress gasp a total of three times during their partnership. None of them spoke of particularly pleasant matters.

"...That's impossible." Cinder stated eventually. She was shaking, Emerald realised. She went to help her mistress, only for a harsh glare from the woman to cause her to pause in her tracks. "That woman is dead. _Long dead_."

Roman rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Clearly not."

Cinder shook her head rapidly, dishevelling her beautiful hair ever so slightly. It spoke of how concerned this woman had made her. She knew her boss. Never in a million years would Cinder _ever _do something perceived as weak. As _worried._ That was simply not her style.

"What's the issue?" Mercury finally spoke up, "I mean, she looks pretty damn good, yes. But there's more than one way to get rid of an obstacle. Hell, I can think of half a dozen off the top of my head. Most of which involving explosives."

Adam levelled an inquisitive gaze (or what she could assume was one given to mask) towards her silver haired partner, before snapping to focus back on Cinder. She had snatched the scroll from Neo and was replaying the data over and over.

"The _issue_," Cinder stated, her eyes glowing in fury, "is that this _woman_ is Summer Rose."

It was time for Emerald to gasp.

She _knew_ that name. Oum, half the damn criminal underworld probably knew that name, if only as some demented story that crooks tell eachother behind closed doors.

The woman was a bloodhound of the worst type.

She couldn't be stopped. She couldn't be bribed. She couldn't be intimidated. She just _kept coming _no matter how hard you tried to run away. Nothing escaped her gaze, whether it be a wayward mercenary with a deathwish or a damned grimm. Summer Rose was like one of those damn movie antagonists that, no matter how fucking hard people try, they _will not die_.

News of her death had practically revitalised the crime industry overnight.

"No freaking way!" Torchwick yelled out in bafflement. "You're telling me _I _survived an encounter with the _White Reaper_ herself?! Holy crap. This is _totally_ going on my blog."

Emerald knew he was probably joking- trying to make light on what was a serious wrench in their machine. But for a brief moment she considered searching up to make sure that a notorious crime lord like Roman Torchwick didn't _actually _have a blog.

"No..." Cinder muttered, drawing their attention back. "It can't be her. The moves are all wrong."

Mercury narrowed his eyes as he watched the footage again. "...Yeah, come to think of it you're right. The _White Reaper_ uses some huge fuck-off tri-tipped blade. Or, atleast she did. But still, even without her signature weapon it doesn't match any of the vids that showed her hand-to-hand style. People have been trying to match that shit for years."

"So you're saying it's not her?" Emerald piped up, curious. Not to mention that this was actually one of the rare times where Mercury wasn't being a complete pain in the ass and was actually acting rather helpful. She was going to milk this for all that it's worth. Maybe she'd even impress Cinder with her resourcefulness.

Though she was rather surprised to hear that Mercury had seen vids of this chick. She would have only been active when Mercury was-

Oh. His father had probably shown them to him as part of his 'training'. No wonder he'd never spoken about it before.

"Doubt it." Mercury stated. "Could be some sap wearing her face. Illusion semblance that can also mimic Summer's speed, perhaps. Who knows. Seen crazier semblances before. Wouldn't be the craziest semblance I've seen. Certainly up there, though."

"...Will she be a problem?" Adam piped up, a hand gripping his sheathed blade. Emerald wasn't entirely certain what was running through the man's head right now, but even a moron like Mercury could see that the man was shaken.

There was no conceivable way that a man in _his_ position hadn't heard of Summer Rose, after all.

Cinder took a moment to collect herself, passing the scroll back to Neo absentmindedly as she turned to face the group. Namedropping Summer Rose had caused a stir in the base. Emerald could spot more than a few faunus that were listening in on their conversation.

"...If it's not her, then it won't be an immediate problem. However, it does lead to the conclusion that if it isn't Summer Rose that was at the docks that night, _who was it_. We need to figure this out. Quickly."

On that, all parties agreed.

"What's the plan, boss-lady?" Torchwick asked, "Sounds like something we need to nip in the bud as fast as we can. Impostor or not."

"...We need information. Footage indicates she stayed even after the VPD arrived. We need to check interrogation records. Eye-witness accounts. Everything that they have on her. No doubt Ozpin's already heard about this event."

Torchwick reached for his jacket, more than a few nearby White Fang soldiers tensing at the sudden motion. He pulled out a cigarette.

"Sounds like _we_ need an infiltration specialist." he stated, "Thankfully _I _know just the person for the job..."

* * *

_They were beautiful little fools._

_Plotting and scheming behind closed doors. _

_It was easy to see why they were her favoured pieces._

* * *

He knew it was coming.

"Ironwood certainly loves bring his work wherever he travels..." the deputy headmistress, Glynda Goodwitch, grumbled underneath her breath.

With everything that had occurred, it was rather telling of his workload that dealing with General James Ironwood was probably going to turn out to be one of the least stressful events of the semester, provided that Ozpin played his cards right.

It was basically just transferring information.

Nothing to be worried about.

...Hopefully.

Besides, once Qrow _finally _made it back to Vale after his run-in with the Vacuo authorities, Ozpin suspected that unravelling that particularly crazed series of events was going to be far worse than anything the General could throw at him.

"Well… Running an academy and a military makes him a busy man. But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore."

He heard the '_Access Requested_' notification on his desk before he saw it, knowing that wherever the Atlasian military was present, their general would be nearby. Beacon Academy Tower would no-doubt have been the man's first stop.

Following recent events that have transpired, the general was no-doubt looking for some face-to-face answers to a great many questions that he likely had on his mind.

Salem's movements. The current whereabouts of her known associates. The multiple White Fang incursions across the continent. Increased grimm activity in the mainland of Vale. They had all occurred in such a short amount of time that spoke of certain manipulations behind the scenes. It was his job to unravel the lies to see how far the web has stretched.

The attack on the Fall Maiden, Amber, had been followed by a great many developments for the good people of Vale. None of which were particularly welcome. They all spoke of his old adversary planning yet another one of her… _events_.

Which, possibly, may include the late Mrs Summer Rose.

"Come in." he called out, putting his thoughts aside for the moment.

As expected, General James Ironwood stepped through the doors which were conspicuously silent of his beloved elevator music. Perhaps he would have to have a closer look at the circuitry someday, to make sure that no _deputy headmistresses_ had fiddled with anything.

"Ozpin." the general called out jovially, stepping forward.

He could still remember the boy he had met so long ago, valiantly declaring that he would be the protector of humanity even as his peers scolded him for yelling so early on a Sunday morning. To see just how far that little boy had come, just how much the world had _changed _under his influence, made the headmaster pause if only for a moment.

There were times that he despised his memory.

"...General."

"_Please_, drop the formalities." Ironwood said with a smile, shaking his hand. "It's been too long. Why, I had almost forgotten that _wonderful_ elevator music you had. What wonderful taste. However, there seems to have been a slight… malfunction. I do hope that it's repaired sometime soon."

_Ah. So that's why. _Ozpin thought, amused. _Bastard jammed the signal, I bet._ _James always held quite the irrational hatred for the more classical tunes. Perhaps it was too cruel to assume the worst of my deputy headmistress. _

"And Glynda!" Ironwood greeted elatedly, drawing Ozpin away from his thoughts. "It has _certainly_ been too long since we last met."

"Oh James!" Glynda sarcastically swooned, levelling a deadpanned glare his way before turning to the headmaster himself. "...I'll be outside."

"_Stay."_

Both the general and his deputy headmistress recoiled almost imperceptibly at the sudden command, yet the blonde professor responded with a curt nod and obeyed the orders nonetheless.

"…We weren't expecting your presence for the Vytal festival, James. The small fleet outside our windows is somewhat concerning." Ozpin stated, moving back to his desk and pouring a glass of coffee for the general. He went to offer one to Glynda, only to receive a polite refusal.

General Ironwood accepted the coffee with a nod. "Concern _is_ what brought them here." he reminded the headmaster.

"Difficulty travelling between kingdoms _has_ become rather difficult as of late, sir." Glynda interjected with a slight narrowing of her eyes. "Whilst the Atlesian fleet is _more than_ an eyesore, you cannot fault the general for taking precautions." she stated. "He is, after all, well known for his paranoia and brash military action at the most asinine of things."

Ozpin winced sympathetically even as General Ironwood merely chuckled heartily in response to the jab. The sharp tongue of his deputy headmistress had sent lesser men running for the hills. The fact that James could handle all of her acidic barbs and harsh glares was a testament to his skill as a leader. Or his lack of awareness- Ozpin hadn't yet decided.

"Regardless," the general began again, "We both know _why_ I brought those men here. I heard of the incident in Vacuo. Your top specialist was _incarcerated_, Ozpin. An entire shipping company was out for his blood after their foreman was killed whilst under his protection! If what Qrow sent is true then this-!"

"-Is something _we will handle tactfully._" Ozpin cut in quickly, before the general could continue his rant. "It's the Vytal Festival, James. A time to celebrate unity and peace. Bringing most of the Atlesian fleet halfway across the globe sends the wrong message. People begin wondering; _why is there such a military presence? What do we have to fear?_"

Ironwood fell silent at his words, sipping at his coffee and stewing in his emotions as Ozpin watched the man noticeably pull himself back from what would likely have been a rather harsh rebuttal on his part.

It was one of the things he admired about the man; his seemingly effortless ability to keep a relatively calm mind during most situations. He was a man who thought of himself as but a piece in a far greater picture. He knew there was more to the world that just himself and his own goals.

General James Ironwood was a man who fought for his country; which was exactly why Ozpin had seen fit to introduce him to the truth of the world.

"...Is it true?" Ironwood eventually asked, staring at his coffee. "...Has Summer Rose been revived?"

"It is."

"..._Where is she._"

Ah. Yes. This.

Ozpin had been waiting for this.

He tapped a button on his desk, projecting a small display of a location deep underneath Beacon Academy.

"Summer Rose remains in a secure holding facility until I decide what to do with her. You may speak with her at your leisure if you so desire, but I assure you she has been interrogated quite thoroughly. You are free to review the recordings."

Glynda levelled a disproving glance his way, but he shook it off with a practised ease. The deputy headmistress had already been forced to console the young Miss Rose about the situation of her recently revived mother quite a few times. There was no doubt in his mind that Professor Goodwitch had some reservations about the idea of keeping a mother away from her daughter.

That said nothing about the complete shitstorm that would be sent his way the moment word reaches the ear of either Taiyang or Raven.

Summer Rose would be released soon. He knew that he had no choice. Although, he deeply wished that _this_ particular chapter of his life had remained closed indefinitely.

"So it is true..." Ironwood marvelled, circling the desk as he eyed up the projection. "Do you have any clue as to _how_ exactly she… came to be?"

Ozpin shook his head. It had been one of the most frustrating interrogations of his long life, yet even a lack of information had the potential to be just as informative in the right hands.

"None." he stated. "However, the question did bring up something. It would appear as if Mrs Rose does not possess any memories of her final mission; including the mission briefing. She is completely unaware, from what I can understand."

General James Ironwood watched as both Deputy and Headmaster fell silent after the latter's declaration. The two Beacon professors traded a meaningful glance.

He was not privy to Summer Rose's final mission, the one which had supposedly ended in her death. There had been times where his curiosity had gotten the better of him and he had requested the necessary files from Ozpin, only to be rebuked each and every time.

Yet he knew enough. More than enough to know that for certain Summer Rose was deceased and most certainly had fallen in the line of battle.

_She is completely unaware…_

It was certainly a strange way to describe it.

"...Memory loss, perhaps?" he reasoned, watching a significant portion of tension seemingly disappeared from the deputy at his statement. She had been anticipating a different question, clearly.

He could always get a read on that woman. For better and for worse.

Ozpin gave a chuckle, but the brevity in the gesture most certainly didn't reach his eyes. James wondered how long it had been since the man actually experienced any degree of humour. Years, in the very least.

"I doubt it." Ozpin stated. "Even in highly traumatised victims, memories still exist in some form. A reaction to stimuli, even as a subconscious reminder. Yet there was nothing from Summer Rose. I have never seen anything of its kind before. For the life of me, I cannot understand what's causing it. Is it a result of her death? A side effect of her resurrection? There's no way of telling."

Glynda stepped forward, clearly noticing that James was about to retort. "As you can quite obviously see, Professor Ozpin has done everything in his power and asked every question he could think of; but it is obvious that we still have much to learn. I _know_ you want to talk to her after all this time. We both do. But we have to follow precaution here."

Ozpin smiled proudly as his deputy as he watched two people that he had originally met as children discuss such gave matters with determination. It was good to see that there were people in the world who could be so dedicated.

"_You did what you did, because it was what you would do, were a flower to arrive within this garden. You would question her. Learn of her; because that is what you would do._"

He blinked at the recent memory of Kirakishou's odd phrase resurfaced once more. She had spoken those words in her interrogation inside this very room with Summer's own daughter sitting beside her. At the time, he had opted to ignore the words in favour of trying to get the girl situated in Beacon and allocate resources to investigate her disappearance. The girl, despite her odd phrasing, had gleaned a sizeable amount of information about him based on her own small interaction with him at the time.

It had demonstrated that the girl was far more observant that he had originally believed.

Perhaps sending Qrow wasn't-

_Qrow._

"Oh, no."

Qrow was met with heavy resistance at Vacuo. He reported a single faunus assailant with a semblance capable of messing with the senses whom had told him to stop investigating the container. The faunus proceeded to supposedly decapitated the foreman with nothing but a swipe of his hand.

All in favour of protecting the shipping container that Qrow had been sent to investigate. The supposed duplicate of the one that Kirakishou had arrived in. Not only had there been an actual copy of the container instead of a mere edit to the shipping manifest as first thought, but there had been a person there whom was clearly attempting to destroy the evidence of their involvement.

Which means there was more to Kirakishou's appearance than originally thought.

She had been placed there in Vale. _Purposefully. _By people whom were willing to kill in order to prevent people from snooping around. People who had no difficulty infiltrating a heavily armed compound and escaping without capture. People with a degree of skill capable of evading the likes of Qrow with relative ease.

Yet until Qrow made his way to Beacon and gave his full report, Ozpin was left in the dark. The fact that Qrow _hadn't_ sent over a full transcript immediately was cause for concern; as it implied that whoever behind all of this was enough to cause _Qrow_ of all people to feel some manner of distress.

Suffice to say, until Qrow arrived he couldn't be entirely certain of any one fact- except for the knowledge that Kirakishou was _not_ just a simple stowaway.

"Sir?"

Blinking, his eyes registered the look that Glynda was shooting him. Ah. He'd zoned out again. It had been happening with a surprisingly frequency these past few months. Whilst Ironwood hadn't reacted, the look in his eyes showed that the man was clearly worried for him.

"Just a thought." he stated, waving off her concerns as he drank from his lukewarm coffee. "...Tell me, James, do you remember reading the report about the wayward girl found in the Vale docks?"

The general blinked at the non sequitur. "...I do, yes. If I recall, you have her listed as an associate currently staying in Beacon, yes? You sent Qrow to investigate matters behind her appearance. Something to do with a shipping manifest originating in Vacuo."

There were days when he praised James' memory.

"Yes, that's the one." Ozpin confirmed, "...It was during his investigation that he was confronted by an unknown individual who killed the foreman, before fleeing from the dockworkers. The man was quite unhinged and supposedly speaking nonsense, but it was clear that he was there for a reason."

James narrowed his eyes, glancing off into the distance. "It's unlike human traffickers to put so much effort into covering their tracks. Infiltrating such a place, one _already_ on high alert, is no easy feat. This speaks of experience..." his voice trailed off.

"What are you thinking?" Glynda asked curiously.

The Atlesian Headmaster sighed. "There is a distinct possibility that this girl is part of _her_ faction, whether she knows it or not. That, or another external group with unknown intentions. Either way, she is a threat that we do not want to have to deal with during the Vytal Festival." he turned towards Ozpin, "Are you _certain_ that the girl has told you everything?"

This time, Ozpin let loose a dry chuckle of bitter amusement. "Oh no, not in the slightest. But before you suggest anything _severe_, let me remind you that there are better ways to deal with suspected _associates_. Even ones that may not know they are under the adversary's control."

Glynda huffed, even as James looked confused at his wording. "...He is using the girl as bait to draw out the one behind it." the deputy headmistress clarified for him, looking none too pleased about the matter.

It wasn't a surprise to see the surprise flourish in the eyes of the Atlesian general. It was a dangerous play after all. Not one that he was known for.

"...And has this… _plan_ given us any clue as to her purpose in Vale as of late?" the general eventually asked.

Ozpin had been waiting for this question for the better part of an hour, now.

Wordlessly, he pressed another button on his desk and switched the projector to display a security recording of Beacon Academy.

Summer Rose was seen speeding away from a particular dorm room, number 224, thirty minutes before eye-witness accounts placed her in the Vale docks assisting in fighting against the White Fang incursion.

He knew that room.

_Kirakishou's room._

* * *

**A/N:  
**After writing fluff in the previous chapter, plot-focussed dialogue is surprisingly difficult to write.  
But I got there in the end. Somehow.  
It's been an exciting time so far. Thank you all once again for your reviews. They've been a breath of fresh air.  
Looking forward to writing more of my favourite doll's shenanigans.


	14. Chapter 14

"_Let me embrace you." _

Ruby snuggled closer, a tentative mewl escaping her throat as her body told her that it was time to get up and begin the day, whilst her mind actively refused the order with a vengeance. She didn't want to get up. Never again. She was in _heaven_, just laying there away from the troubles of the world.

She had always been a bit of a heavy sleeper, even though the recent years spent learning to become a huntress had forced her to get used to awakening far earlier than what she would have liked.

Beacon Academy was a breath of fresh air in comparison to her old school.

_Ah… Right… Beacon Academy. I did it, mom… _A sleepy part of her mind droned on, some half-baked remembrance occurring in the depths of her thoughts.

It was still rather shocking to be in Beacon Academy so early.

_Probably need to get up… Classes are on today, aren't they..?_

Wearily she opened her eyes and-

"Eeep!"

_Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no. Why. Why did that have to- _

Her mind continued to repeat slight variations of the same dreaded question, over and over as she stared in disbelief at the sight that had greeted her in the morning.

This wasn't her dorm room.

A mop of light peach blonde hair covered most of her vision, but she didn't need to be actively pursuing the girl to know that the head that was currently resting on her chest belonged to one girl and one girl only.

_Kirakishou_.

She was in _Kirakishou's _room, sleeping with the doll. Or, suffice to say, she _had_ been sleeping with the doll. Because she was most certainly awake at the moment. Ruby could say that she'd had some crazy dreams in the past from what she could remember, but never in a million years would her mind torment her with the idea of waking up like this. Not with Kirakishou sleeping atop her with her cheek to her chest, snoozing peacefully.

Ruby was laying on her back, she realised belatedly, something she rarely if ever did. It normally felt really uncomfortable to her if she tried and she'd typically end up just sleeping on her side. Although with Kirakishou laying atop her, she assumed that she hadn't been _able_ to move in the first place. Not that she would have.

It was actually quite relaxing, in an odd sort of way that made her body tingle in weirdly pleasant ways whenever she thought about it. But perhaps that had to do with the _intimacy_ of the moment.

There had been a small bedsheet that _had_ been covering them, from what she could tell of the discarded sheet laying on the ground, but it had obviously been kicked away by either herself or the doll. Which only served to display that Kirakishou had changed her attire into the same silken set that she had worn when Ruby found her after resurrecting her mother. Ruby wasn't entirely certain if Kirakishou had been wearing the outfit when she had found the doll at the balcony before, as she'd been too drowsy to take much notice in such things.

But now? She could see everything.

Just like that moment where she first saw the garment after the incident at the docks, it did little to hide the obvious ball-joints of the doll's artificial body. Ruby hadn't even paid much attention to it last time she saw them, as she'd been far too overwhelmed with emotions to even think straight.

For a moment, Ruby allowed herself to marvel at the beauty of the scene as it lay presented to her. She had never been that much of a doll person when she was growing up, as she had developed her fascination for mechashift weapons at a pretty young age compared to most other kids. But she was steadily reconsidering her choices.

She felt the doll shift atop her, signalling that Kirakishou was waking up.

"..._Ruby_." the girl breathed sleepily, a half-formed giggle escaping her. "..._I'm sure you must be weary, soaring up so high… What shall I do, to prove the warm affection I've always felt for you…?"_

_She's still asleep. She's just talking in her sleep_. Ruby thought with reddened cheeks, trying in vain to calm the heat that was raging inside her at the inadvertent declaration. _Of course__ about me. Gosh. This is so embarrassing! _

"Ruby..?" Kirakishou shifted again, her head tilting upwards as Ruby was greeted by the sight of the doll's lone amber eye slowly opening to stare at her. She was once again reminded of how Kirakishou's one eye was slit like a cat. It held an intensity, visible even through the dredges of sleep.

"K-Kira I didn't, I mean, I don't know how-" she tried to explain, only for the doll's giggles to silence her. She pouted in embarrassment. She hadn't been able to get out a single sentence before Kira started laughing at her.

The doll gave a small little smile as she gazed up at Ruby. From her perspective, Ruby thought it looked more than a little mischievous to her. It was actually quite adorable.

"You passed out again."

_What? I passed out? What- _she wondered internally, before her memories caught up with her and she blushed a crimson hue as deep as the tips of her hair. _Oh… Last night. Or, well, this morning. I found Kirakishou out at the balcony and we started kissing after a bit of talking. Didn't think I would fall asleep, though… Oum. So embarrassing! Why does this always have to happen?!_

"I brought you back here after you fell unconscious, my dear rose." Kirakishou continued as she rose to a sitting position atop Ruby's lap, pulling the young huntress-in-training out of her thoughts immediately. "You were very drained. You had to come here to replenish your energy. I couldn't help but join you, here in this small little bed." she put her hands over her own face and cocked her head to the side, peeking at Ruby between her fingers. "Ah~ To lay with my maiden of the red rose. We were two pure roses, nurtured in this beautiful garden together. Is there anything else that can compare to such pleasure?"

"It, ah, it was certainly _something..." _Ruby muttered lowly, squirming at the ticklish sensations she was feeling at the moment as the girl continued to shift and writhe on her lap in some apparent attempt to make herself comfortable. "But I'm sorry for causing such a hassle. I didn't mean for things to end up like this… You didn't have to bring me back to your room, Kira."

Kirakishou's delighted smile drooped for a moment and she stilled, before relaxing into a warmer and dare-she-say-it _affectionate_ expression. "Oh Ruby. You needn't apologise. A pale rose _wanted_ you here, held tightly between the petals within my garden. I _wanted_ things to end up like this. So that you can be here, with me. Is it wrong to crave the person one cares for?"

"N-No… Of course there's nothing wrong with that…"

The heat in her body intensified again.

It was with some manner of surprise that Ruby realised right then in that moment, those had been the precise words she had needed to hear.

Whilst Kirakishou was technically right in saying that she had clearly brought Ruby to her own room out of her own desire, Ruby was happy that she had. For a lot of Kirakishou's flirting and kissing, Ruby had always been the one to make the first move in things. It was a refreshing change of pace that, thankfully, put Ruby into more of her comfort zone.

A little part of her had felt like she was pushing herself on Kirakishou. Taking advantage of her. The reassurance that the doll _also_ wanted her was certainly reassuring and helped allieviate any worry that she had felt. Along with any shame for actively yearning her next encounter with the blonde.

Because she _wanted_ the doll to do these things, likely just as much as the doll _wanted_ to do them in the first place. Even on a day that was no-doubt going to be as hectic as today with everything planned. Now that she was finally away from her team for a bit and alone with the doll...

I-

_Oh no. _

She just remembered.

_My team_.

"Is something wrong, dearest?" Kirakishou asked, obviously noticing her expression.

"I-I, um. It's my team." Ruby stammered, trying to rapidly explain. "They would have realised that I'm not there by now. Oh Oum. I don't… Well. They're not going to be, well, _pleased_ when they found out where I was. Especially Yang..."

"...Yang?" Kirakishou said in an airy tone of voice as she cocked her head to the side, her blonde tresses falling beside her.

It took Ruby a brief (awkward) moment for her to realise that Kirakishou wasn't in-fact asking who Yang actually was, which would be weird as anything considering everything that's happened, but she just seemed confused about what Yang had to do with things.

Ruby _really_ didn't want to have to mention all the drama involving her possessive big sister, but she didn't have much of a choice. It needed to be said, so that Kira could understand and they could work through it together. If she didn't say it now, she'd never be able to.

"Yeah… Um. She, well, you… you saw how she acted when I came to give you your transcript, right?" the doll nodded along slowly, the look in her eye showing she still was pretty confused about things. Ruby groaned. Did she _really_ have to spell it out? "Well, er, after that we went looking… for Blake. Yang and I talked about a few things. A-About us."

The confusion vanished immediately. A tiny smile tugged at the doll's lips, but the expression didn't reach her eye.

Gulping nervously, Ruby continued onward. "I don't think she's that, um, _supportive. _Of us." She blurted, before raising her hands in a placating gesture and rushing to continue before the doll could say anything. "It's not that she doesn't like you, she just doesn't understand you, you know? She's always been pretty protective of me ever since we were little. She just needs time to, um, _understand_ things. From her perspective."

A _lot_ of time. Preferably spent learning from a distance. At least outside of punching distance. Or shooting distance if she had her gauntlets on. Just, well, far enough away that no harm could come to her.

Perhaps now that Mom was back, she could speak to Yang and help support them with this. But even then Ruby doubted that would really stop her big sister that much. There would have been a time where Yang _would_ have relented if Mom just said so, but after a few years without Mom that time was long gone.

Kirakishou remained silent for a while after her admission, staring at her unblinkingly. Ruby lay there awkwardly, listening to the sounds in the distance in the hopes of distracting her from the moment. It was clear that a few people were getting ready for classes now. She could hear the chatter. Eventually, Kirakishou shook her head and smiled.

"If you're worried about retrieving your uniform and apparel from your room, you don't need to be. They're in the next room, all ready for the day. I have retrieved them for you."

Ruby blinked, wondering how in the world the blonde managed to get through _that_ landmine of a room before abruptly realising that she _may_ have forgotten to lock the door to her dorm when she walked out early in the morning.

_Oops…_

Kirakishou must have gotten them whilst everybody was sleeping. Which meant that she'd _planned_ for Ruby to stay and get ready in her room. _Oum_. Kirakishou really had gone the extra step just to spend some time with her. It was a really cute gesture just for plain girl from Patch. She blushed, before shaking her head. She couldn't let _those thoughts_ derail her. Not now.

It wouldn't-

"...T-That's not what I meant, but… argh, okay."

Okay, maybe it was enough for now. There was only so much she could take. Only _so many_ romantic gestures that Ruby could handle before she had to act. Besides, she was feeling a little adventurous. After all, she had been told time and time again that she couldn't remain in her comfort zone forever.

Kirakishou would get what she was talking about eventually. Probably. Hopefully.

For now, she'd had enough ignoring her hormones.

Abruptly, she wrapped her arms around the doll and pulled her back down, mashing her lips against Kirakishou's in a feverish kiss filled with _need_. The doll gave a brief squeak in surprise, before smiling against her lips and surrendering to the sensations, her lone eye fluttering shut.

Her hands revelled in the feeling of Kirakishou's silken pyjamas, tracing the fabric and feeling the slight feeling of a joint around her shoulder blades. Ruby didn't know nearly enough about dolls to have a full understand of their inner workings, especially talking animated dolls, but she knew enough to know that a lot of dolls have different joints on their body for movement. It felt a little weird against her fingers, but she soon found that she kind of liked the sensation.

Kirakishou's arms wrapped around her even as the doll adjusted her posture, practically crawling over her prone from. She pulled back from the kiss for a moment and opened her eye to glance at Ruby for a moment, before giggling when Ruby found herself growing impatient and pulling the doll back again for another kiss.

This was easily the longest that Ruby had lasted.

She wasn't tired like she had been earlier this morning out on the balcony. She wasn't exhausted like their first kiss in this very same room. No. She was filled with energy and, by oum, she was going to _use it_.

The room was spinning, but she didn't care. Kirakishou had clearly activated her semblance at one point; there were a vast number of pale white vines crawling along the walls as sparkling white flowers appeared on seemingly impossible surfaces. What was once a relatively unfurnished room without any personalised touches became a thriving pale forest in the blink of an eye.

It was _beautiful_.

With a burst of her own semblance she reversed their positions, scattering rose petals everywhere without a care in the world. She moved her hands up to Kirakishou's shoulders, forcefully pushing the blonde down against the mattress. Kirakishou blinked at the abrupt change, before giggling cutely even as the duo continued to make out, the sound of her enjoyment causing strange little vibrations against Ruby's lips even as she found herself moaning blissfully.

The doll's hands snaked up her sides and around her back, jointed fingers brushing against the thin fabric of her pyjama shirt what Ruby belatedly recognised was a hug. They clutched the fabric tightly in a blatant display of yearning. For the middle of an intimate moment, it was a really adorable display.

_More. _Ruby thought, pulling back briefly for air before trailing kisses down the doll's neck as she listened to her lover's delighted mewls. _More. More. More. I want more._

* * *

Ruby blushed heavily as she recalled the mornings events for third time during this class, her silver eyes momentarily darting over to the doll sitting beside her before glancing away when the doll shot her a knowing smile that seemed particularly ravenous in her eyes. Although perhaps she was projecting a bit.

She was in one of Professor Port's lectures at the moment, sitting in the corner with the blonde doll occupying the window seat. Her teammates were all scattered around in different areas. Weiss and Blake were currently ignoring Jaune's attempts to hit on the former whilst the latter tried and failed to hide the smile on her face. Yang was off sitting down by Ren and Nora, glancing back her way occasionally.

In particular, she did not like the looks that Yang kept sending Kirakishou, but at the moment she was more focused on attempting to keep herself calmed down.

The memory of her morning has continued to assault her all throughout the day. At seemingly the worst possible times she would find herself reminded of random parts of it. The coldness of Kirakishou's lips against her own. The feeling of Kira's artificial skin that had been warmed up by her own body heat. The wanton sounds of desire that had escaped her whenever the doll had done something that her body particularly enjoyed…

The softness of the doll's tongue.

It was all just too much for her body to handle.

They hadn't progressed _that _far, thankfully. Ruby had grown more than a little self-conscious of everything happening so quickly and shut things down before she threw caution to the wind. Plus, there was the whole spiel about how her big sister would _probably_ be out for blood if she ever heard about it. She wanted to ensure that Kirakishou remained alive… animated… er, _whatever the term for dolls _is. That.

She didn't want Kirakishou to get hurt if they went too far. That was it. R-Right.

Her team had given her quite the grilling after she had returned before class to pick up a few things. Or, at least that was the story she had told Kirakishou. In all fairness, the doll _had_ managed to grab quite literally everything she would be needing for the day of class up to and including even the red-coloured pencil that she'd lost on the second day of school. So theoretically she could have just gone straight to class and avoided the judging eyes of her teammates. But Ruby had figured that she owed them an explanation.

It _thankfully_ hadn't been too bad of an event, even if Ruby had wanted to burst away in a flurry of rose petals during a few choice moments when she had said things that she hadn't intended.

She wasn't the best under pressure. Apparently she had picked it up from her mom. Especially when those interrogating her are her own _teammates_, along with her big sister who knows practically everything about the way her mind works.

Yang had been worried sick, of course. That much was to be expected considering her childhood history of sleepwalking and… other things that had occurred. Ruby had evidently left her scroll with her when she had left early morning, only for Kirakishou to retrieve and silence the device before Yang could send a message her way.

Well. Not _a_ message. Seventeen. But still.

With just how her big sister had been acting recently she couldn't bring herself to really care that much about how Yang felt about things. They still hadn't really talked about the argument they had over Yang's thoughts about Kira. Whilst they were _talking_, technically, they were avoiding mentioning Kira unless they didn't have a choice.

Taking into account how she'd accidentally blabbed that _Kira had grabbed her things, _her team realised very quickly where Ruby had spent her morning. After somehow successfully lying and saying that it was a simple sleepover and nothing more, her team was quick to voice their displeasure at how close she was getting, saying that it was far too early from meeting somebody to be sleeping in their room.

Platonically or not.

In some small way, Ruby knew that her relationship with Kirakishou was progressing far too fast to ever be considered 'normal'. Whilst it was her first real relationship in, well, _ever_, she had been witness to a great many of Yang's relationships and occasionally seen some of her old friends in Patch date. None of them had happened so suddenly. Typically there would be some time where Yang was 'on the prowl' as she liked to call it, before she managed to snag whatever poor sap caught her fancy.

The point was that she had no _freaking clue_ how to handle something like this.

But Ruby didn't _care_ that she and Kirakishou were progressing so quickly. If anything, she _loved it_. She _loved_ that it was something that none of her old friends _former friends_ ever did. She _loved _that it was _nothing_ like Yang's flings. That it held something _real_.

Never in a million years would she ever consider voicing _that_ particular opinion out loud, but regardless, it was still how she felt about the matter.

Ruby had spent the next five minutes after that explaining how she'd simply woken up far too early and how she couldn't get back to sleep, so she'd decided to go out for a walk and found happened upon Kira on the balcony.

For some reason that had prompted a sharp gasp from Weiss, but for the life of her Ruby couldn't figure out what the heiress had been so surprised about. At this point she was chalking it up to disbelief that there actually even was a nice viewing area around the dormitory. Though she highly doubted that was _exactly_ what Weiss had been on about.

It didn't matter, once she explained that she had sat there watching the stars with Kirakishou and promptly fell asleep beside the girl, Weiss had noticeably calmed down. Which had the inadvertent effect of reminding the heiress that they were all mad at her for being a goof. Weiss had given her quite the lecture on _behaving like a proper team leader_, yet relented once the tears started.

She was just so new at all this, she had explained, and her teammates had thankfully understood what it was that she meant. For that, Ruby was incredibly grateful to have people like her teammates that she could trust with her feelings. Even _Yang_ hadn't called her out on things after that.

Which meant that they'd stopped asking questions about her and Kira. Especially when said questions would eventually be asking about how exactly things went when she woke up in Kira's room.

...Blake might know.

She had read _stories_ about how some faunus possess an extremely heightened sense of smell. Whilst normally these stories were either comedies or some action hero flick to watch during a boring summer, some of her old friends back in Patch swore that they had faunus friends who actually _did_ have a heightened sense of smell. And were very flexible. Whatever that meant.

...So, well, Blake might have smelt Kira's scent on her. If dolls even _had_ scents. Or, she might have smelt her, er, _enjoyment_ of things.

The sheer idea was mortifying.

However her faunus teammate hadn't said a word about things like that, so hopefully her friends in Patch were wrong, or perhaps Blake just hadn't smelt anything suspicious. Though she was thinking about perhaps getting some perfume next time she went shopping. If it didn't stop Blake it might at least smell nice for Kira.

That all relied on the idea that dolls even _could_ smell perfumes. She was going to have to ask her about that sometime. Along with what was probably a billion other questions that she was burning to ask the doll about.

_Hmm… perhaps we can play twenty questions..? Nah… I might end up saying something embarrassing… But that is part of the game… Truth or dare…? Mmm. I could do that. Definitely behind closed doors, though… _

But still. Getting off track. Again.

_Not like I can really help it… _Ruby thought glumly._ Stupid Port. How can you not realise you told us this exact story on the second day? How is rehashing it in a different perspective supposed to help? Wish somebody would speak up and ask… How is this even supposed to help us become better hunters and huntresses? Not like we're going to be in one of your situations and suddenly think back to how you handled things…_

Though he was pretty good with that blunderbuss-axe on the few times he demonstrated grimm weakpoints to the class. Now _that_ was a class she had most certainly paid attention to. What'd he call that weapon… Blowhard? Oum. He was really bad with naming things.

...She was getting off track _again_. Eugh. Her mind was in a bit of a tizzy after everything happened this morning.

_Focus, Ruby. Focus on what happened. Keep moving forward._

Blake hadn't really had that much to say about Ruby's 'transgressions', thankfully. She'd had enough of an earful from Weiss and her sister. No. Blake was still laser-focused on Team RWBY's investigation of the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. As long as Ruby was still on for helping them uncover every track, Blake didn't seem to mind that much about what she got up to in her spare time.

Something she wished the _rest_ of her team could understand.

Although for now she just resolved to get Blake a gift or something as a thank-you present. Perhaps a meal that had fish in it. Now that Blake's faunus heritage had been revealed, Yang had uncovered that the girl _did_ have quite the craving for fish. Pretty much the only time that Blake ever looked truly happy was when the cafeteria staff served any fish meal.

After everything that the girl had been through, Blake deserved to treat herself a bit. Even if Ruby had to be the one treating her.

Plus if it turned out that Blake _had_ figured out that something was happening between Ruby and Kirakishou, then perhaps a good fish treat would be a suitable bribe. Though it'd probably take a LOT more than her small amount of lien could handle. For such a quiet girl, Blake was actually kind of a glutton sometimes.

But as long as the girl stayed away from her cookies, Ruby didn't mind.

..._I wonder if fish cookies are a thing?_

_...Nah. I doubt it. Sounds awful. _

Oh! That reminds her! Summer was finally being released from Ozpin's care today. She'd received a message from her mom on her scroll this morning saying that she was planning on heading home and explaining things to dad. Whilst she wasn't going to tell dad that Kirakishou had a hand in things, for obvious reasons, she did say that eventually the time would come when the blonde doll would have to come clean about it all.

Ruby knew that it was a given that mom would have to get back to Patch as soon as she could. She understood that. Logically, it made the most sense. Although deep down inside her she wished more than anything that the two of them could spend some more time together just so that she could ask some much-needed questions and tell her mother about how her life has been.

Yet there was a time and place for everything.

Once the term was over, she would be heading straight back to Patch for the holidays. Hopefully by then mom would have gotten everything sorted over there and she could avoid all of that embarrassing parental stuff.

Dad had cared about precisely three things in his life; Summer Rose, being a hunter and ensuring that his daughters were safe. He wasn't going to rest when mom showed up and said she was back, no matter what explanation she gave. He'd figure out something was up and eventually put the pieces together. Somehow.

It was actually kind of scary how good of a detective he was sometimes. He'd always find where she hid the cookie jar as a kid, for instance. Perhaps it was his semblance, or he was just naturally _that_ good at it. Who knows.

But still. Eventually Kirakishou would have to explain things to him. She'd told Kirakishou about it and the doll had told her (in her own way) not to worry. So she wasn't worried. Not exactly. But Ruby _was_ nervous about the idea of Kira explaining things to dad. Or even _talking_ to her dad at all. Because then she'd actually have to _meet _dad, which was terrifying for its own reasons.

Ruby knew, without a doubt, without a _single fibre _in her body calling out in protest, that dad _would_ bust out the baby photos. It was only a matter of time. No matter what she did to convince him otherwise, no matter how hard she tried to destroy those damn photos, he would find a way to show her girlf...

Huh. She really _was_ dating Kirakishou, wasn't she?

Ruby smiled, absentmindedly doodling in her notebook.

She was beginning to really start enjoying this whole 'Beacon' thing.

* * *

Introducing Kirakishou to all of the other Beacon students that she knew had been an interesting endeavour of patience.

For the most part, it was beyond obvious to Ruby that Kirakishou wasn't that interested in most people and whilst she played nice at times, tended to keep everyone at arm's length. It had been made abundantly clear to her that the only reason Kirakishou was even bothering to talk to her friends was just to make Ruby happy.

And, in a way, it did. To see the level of devotion that the doll held for her was incredibly heartwarming and only served to cement her budding feelings for the doll, along with her apparently seemingly ever-increasing _craving_. There had been quite a few times where Ruby had toyed with the idea of pressing Kirakishou up against the wall in the exact same manner that the doll had once done when Ruby had delivered her transcript.

Yet her fear of being _caught_ was what kept her instincts at bay. She knew that it would a long time until she was even comfortable with the _idea_ of letting people know about her budding relationship with the blonde, let alone actually feeling like it would be in their best interests to tell others about them. Kirakishou, for the most part, agreed with her plans.

"_Whilst the whims of other little dolls do not matter to a pure white rose such as myself, I would hide myself from the world just to be hidden with you, dearest._"

Oum. How in the world could the doll still be able to keep saying things like _that_ with such a straight face? All it did was just make her want Kira more. Which… may in fact be why exactly Kira phrased it in that way. Or perhaps because that was just the way she spoke. Who knows.

She still giggled nonetheless at the sheer lunacy of a _doll _calling other people dolls. Kirakishou even pouted at her! It was _so_ adorable. Part of her could understand why Yang liked to tease her so much, just from seeing that cute face scrunched up in embarrassment. She almost wished that she had been quick enough to snap a photo.

...It still wasn't enough to hide that even though Kirakishou was socialising with others now, it had been entirely because Ruby had forced the issue for her. She had wanted the doll to have others to talk to about things, not just Ruby herself. Whilst she would do everything in her power to be there for the doll, with the plans that her team was making to continue to pursue the White Fang and Roman Torchwick, things may be getting dangerous soon. There was no telling if Ruby would even be able to be there for her.

Even if every cell inside her was screaming to just keep the doll with her and never let go.

She wanted her beloved doll to be happy and healthy. To work through the trauma of her past with the help of others. Ruby had been one of the lucky ones to have had Yang and her dad there to get her out of her funk when mom died. Even if it had been tough love, it had been what she needed to get out of her rut. Kirakishou had never had anybody to help her through her pain, apart from Ruby herself.

Kirakishou _needed _others. A part of her realised that. Like how a starving man needs juicy steaks.

_W-What… Oum, that's not how metaphors work! Bah, get your head in the game Ruby! _

She had weird thoughts sometimes, okay. Especially regarding Kirakishou. That was just another one in a long list of half-formed questions and nonsensical ramblings. Most of which would normally occur right after she woke up. So it was strange that she was still getting them now.

It reminded her of how Kirakishou's 'conversation' with Nora Valkyrie, JNPR's resident grenade-launcher-wielding girl with a passion for... well, she didn't _exactly _know what Nora's passion actually was but she did kind of enjoy talking about sloths a lot...

Still. It was weird.

"_Oooh!~ I loooove the rose little eyepatch thing you've got going there, bucko! Though it must be hard to see with only one eye! You're like a pirate! Yarr! A pirate in a dress, no sword and probably much better grooming than most, but a pirate nonetheless! H-Hey Ren, do pirates shave? Come to think of it, do you think it'd be possible to teach a sloth to shave? Or become a pirate? Ren..?" _

Nora had spoke that particular word-salad line right after Ruby had tried to introduce the doll to team JNPR at the cafeteria, before abruptly booping Kirakishou on the nose and darting to the other side of the table to continue to badger what Ruby was coming to believe was _the most patient man who ever lived._

Ruby took a brief moment of silence in honour of Lie Ren's situation. Bless that man.

She had been glad that she decided to introduce Kirakishou to team JNPR, despite Nora's excitable attitude. They had been understanding in regards to Kirakishou's _speech impediment_ and were more than willing to take the time to process the meanings behind her flowery words and odd observations.

But for the most part, Kirakishou also seemed to understand the excitable girl's crazy tirade and even had giggled fondly at the display.

"_She has a lot of energy." Kirakishou observed, cocking her head and watching as Lie Ren despondently handed over his remaining servings of pancakes to his partner who immediately demanded that he feed her personally. _

"_We're very sorry about her." Pyrrha answered apologetically, bowing her head curtly. "She's always like this. It's a part of her charm, really. Just takes a while getting used her. She certainly makes the day interesting…" _

There had been a part of Ruby that felt a brief flicker of… _something _when she noticed Pyrrha staring at the doll with a considerate look in her eyes. It had made her scoot just a little closer to the doll, who merely glanced at her with a warm smile before returning to the conversation.

"_...A pale rose cannot help but be reminded of her second oldest sister; Kanaria, whom is much the same. A beautiful canary of yellow, orange and sea-green. Exuberance and pleasantry flourishing from a strong intellect. A truly fine girl." _

Ruby had perked up at that, momentarily confused by the fondness in Kirakishou's voice. After all, she knew that all six of Kirakishou's other sisters had betrayed her for 'Jun' and had left the doll traumatised. It had been surprising to herat first, until she noticed that the smile that Kirakishou wore did not reach her eye.

Not that she could see that anybody had even noticed it. She had wondered how. To Ruby, it seemed so very blatant.

There had been a fondness in her voice, but Ruby could tell deep down she hated her sisters for what they had done. Though, apparently one bad event isn't enough to erase pleasant memories.

This was why she had wanted Kirakishou to have others to help her through it.

"_Wow. You had a sister like Nora too, huh?" Jaune laughed out, drawing the attention of his teammates at his inadvertent reveal. He wilted at all the stares, before answering for Kirakishou's sake. "Uh, I have seven sisters. One of them is just like Nora as well. If it weren't for her, I don't know how I would have handled becoming the leader of team JNPR." _

"_You would have found a way." Pyrrha said warmly, placing a hand over his. "We're a team, after all. We need to stick together." _

"_R-Right..." Jaune mumbled as he looked away, blushing and pulling his hand away. _

Kirakishou had smiled at the interaction, yet for the most part the conversation had come to a close when the bell rang and signalled that it was time for her final lecture of the day with Professor Port. She and Kira had bid their farewells to Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora as they quickly scrambled to get their gear and head over to the class.

Ruby _knew_ what was happening once that particular class ended.

Their investigation could finally begin.

It was finally time.

* * *

**A/N: **  
Things are heating up and the plot ball is finally rolling again.  
This was a very fun chapter to write, all things considered. Ruby and Kirakishou's dynamic is an interesting spin on how Ruby is typically portrayed in romance fics.

I'm certainly curious to see what you all think of this chapter. Please be sure to leave a review, or even a message if you would prefer.

As you're all probably aware, RWBY takes a significant turn in the future. I wonder how that will mesh with Kirakishou involved in things?


	15. Chapter 15

There had been an _attempt._

Yet. That was a good word for it. A nice, safe, word to describe the feelings that a particular heiress was experiencing.

Having been assigned (forced) to join with her team leader during their recognisance in regards to the recent supposed dealings between the White Fang and Roman Torchwick, Weiss had believed it to be in her best interests to partner with Neptune Vasilias- the trident-wielding member of SSSN from Haven Academy.

She had the best of intentions in mind. If team SSSN _had_ happened to just-so-suddenly eavesdrop on their plans, who knew what else they had overheard.

It was a _smart idea_.

Although, the fact that he was rather easy on the eyes was an added bonus of her assignment.

Then little Ruby Rose had come in and her well-placed plans had come crashing down around her by ways of a sudden hearty chuckle and a rather surprising display of strength on the reaper's part and before she knew it she was being whisked away towards the departures area.

_Now_, Neptune had been partnered with Yang Xiao Long, one of her team members whom was far more… _gifted _in certain prospects, in comparison to her own more modest self. Whilst previously she had been attempting to gather information on-

_Oh, screw it. I wanted to talk to the cute boy that liked me. _

_There's nothing wrong with that, is there? _

_No. Of course not. Not here. Not in Vale. Not when I'm away from dear old Father, whom would rather send for marriage contracts than even bother to see if his own daughter was even remotely interested…_

Weiss rolled her eyes, trying to flatten the scowl that almost threatened to appear on her visage as her thoughts took on a more bitter edge.

_How am I even supposed to talk to him in the first place? I'm the Ice Queen, after all. The big heiress of the grand Schnee Dust Company. Not like he'd even be interested in my history… He didn't even know me when he introduced himself. He's probably realised who I am by now… _

Perhaps Ruby stealing her away from the boy had been for the best, so as to avoid any particular failings on her part before she was ready to handle such things.

She probably would have just stumbled over her words and embarrassed herself in front of Neptune anyways. The people of Vale were an easygoing sort- a staunch difference to the refined and sophisticated edge demanded by the denizens of Atlas. Considering how those from Mistral appeared _even more_ carefree and unhindered than even the Vale people, there was quite a high chance that Weiss would eventually find the boy to be _too _relaxed.

Oum, he'd try to flirt with her in a _library_ of all places. _Her_. A potential contestant in the Vytal Festival. It was preposterous. An audacious, foolhardy attempt that flew in the face of everything she knew in the field of romance.

...That may have been why she had enjoyed it so much. Bah. It was all such a complicated mess. How in the world could people _handle_ such things on a day to day basis?

"You alright, Weiss?"

She blinked a few times, fluttering her lashes as her surroundings made themselves known once more. In particular, a small little red-cloaked _ruffian_ was glancing at her in something that was quite obviously _concern_.

"...Fine." she stated simply. Ruby didn't appear all that convinced.

Loathe as she was to admit it, even privately, it had become noteworthy that Ruby had recently developed a noteworthy sense of perception. In the past few weeks, ever since the incident involving Blake Belladonna, their team leader had been paying attention to others and developing closer friendships with a sizeable amount of fellow students.

It was, of course, extremely situational and relied upon who exactly the girl spoke with.

Team JNPR was a notable example. She was able to follow Nora's long-winded explanations regarding her dreams with little-to-no trouble, even asking questions that the orange-haired girl was more than happy to answer. Recently, Ruby had also been able to get Lie Ren to speak the most words she had ever heard from the boy in a single sentence.

_Seven whole words- a new record. Damn her. If she keeps it up she'll win Professor Port's bet without even contributing to the pot! _

It was absurd.

Yet, she was proud of her team leader regardless of her sudden burst of social awareness seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Ruby was developing as a huntress and learning how to speak with and influence others effectively. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that if she were to continue in this fashion, by the end of the year Ruby would end up to be quite the social butterfly.

Provided that the girl didn't allow her grades to suffer in order to keep her social bonds strong, Weiss was more than happy to let their leader become the 'face' of Team RWBY. Oum knows that _she_ didn't want it, in the very least.

"A-Are you sure?" Ruby prodded as they passed several shopfronts, "It's just, you seem a little… not okay. Angry, maybe. Did I do something? Did something happen?"

Weiss exhaled heavily. She could tell that Ruby was never going to let up until she actually gave the girl a proper answer.

"_If_ you must know, I may be a tad… irked, in how you handled selections of our little teams in regards to this operation." she explained slowly, trying and perhaps failing to hide the frustration in her tone. "I had wished to learn more about team SSSN."

"You have a crush on that blue-haired boy, don't you? Neptune."

"I-Wha- I most certainly do _not_ have a crush!" she denied immediately. It was only when she stomped her foot on the ground and the black-haired-red-tipped _jerk_ levelled a knowing glance her way did the heiress realise she sounded a slight touch petulant, which was quite unbecoming of a Schnee.

This was not how she wanted things to go.

"It's okay, Weiss. I didn't mean to get in the way. If you want I could just call Yang and see if we can swap-"

"No!" she retorted immediately, shushing the reaper as quick as she could. "It… it wouldn't be for the best. Irregardless of my…_ affections_… the deed is done and we should continue with the mission for now. Besides, we're already almost there. I'm sure there will be other chances."

"So you _do_ have a crush!" Ruby squealed, jumping up and down excitedly. Weiss once again hurried to shush her insensitive team leader, glancing around worriedly at the civilians nearby.

"_First of all_," she hissed, "It is a passing fancy at best. I have interacted with men of his calibre many times before. I am merely curious if he is actually interested in a more meaningful relationship." she denied fiercely, "_Secondly_, _I'm _not the one with a crush. I've seen how you looked at the blonde girl we met on the docks. I was there, remember? Do I even need to mention the argument you had with your sister? Oh… now _what_ exactly was it about again?"

Ruby blinked at her, recoiling slightly before cocking a brow in confusion. "Kirakishou? Well, yeah no duh. Of course I like her. I mean, it's not like I've been hiding it or anything. I practically blurted out my intentions to you all after you guys interrogated me when I came back to the dorms this morning. What's that got to do with it?"

There was a moment of silence as Weiss stood there, trying and failing to hide the dumbfounded surprise that was no doubt causing quite the horrid expression to flourish on her face.

The sheer idea of _Ruby Rose_, the wallflower to end all wallflowers, blatantly admitting her feelings without a care in the world was beyond out of character. Beyond simple emotional growth.

It was just plain _weird_.

"I-I mean," Ruby continued awkwardly as the heiress fell silent, "I haven't exactly _said_ that I like her in that way and want to be with her... but it was kind of implied, ya know? I don't know why that's such a shock to you. I'm sure once you get to know Neptune you'll be just as sappy. But I, as your resolute team leader, shall not mercilessly tease you if you begin reciting poems or whatever it is they do in Altas."

Something about the twinkle in her silver eyes made Weiss doubt that particular promise.

"Oh har-har." Weiss rolled her eyes, frowning. "Come on, we're just about-"

A sudden scream interrupted her words, tensing immediately she turned to see-

-Ruby squealing at the sight of a landmark.

No, less of a landmark- that was easily an oversell. More of a glorified utilities building that doubled as a tourism snare. Why in the world _Ruby_, a girl that had obviously been to the city of Vale more than a few times in her life, would ever be this interested in such a building was clearly beyond her reasoning.

Didn't make it any less vexing.

_Ugh. This is going to be a long day…_

"_Wowwww! _I forget how big the transmit tower looks up close!"

Weiss barely managed to withhold a snort of derision. "You should see the one in Atlas."

Comparatively, the transmit tower of Vale did indeed tower over most other buildings in the immediate vicinity. However, it was nothing in comparison to practically any of the major buildings situated atop Atlas, or even some of the larger buildings in Mantle. She had attended restaurants held far higher and, no doubt, far more distinguished than a simple transmit hub.

"...Wasn't that the first one ever built?" Ruby questioned, appearing unsure.

"Indeed it was." Weiss confirmed, proud to see that their young team leader had actually been studying appropriately. "Atlas developed the cross-continental transmit system to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. After the great war, global communication helped keep the peace… for the most part."

Hiding the cynicism in her tone was a feat that Weiss wondered she'd ever be able to achieve again if Ruby continued to grow more and more perceptive.

After witnessing Blake's memories and seeing exactly _how_ the faunus people were sectioned off from the global communications network for a great many years, she realised that it was a miracle things hadn't degraded into yet another great war already.

They were dangling on a fine line. One wrong move and the future of Remnant could change irrevocably.

"_Huh_..." Ruby muttered thoughtfully. "You know, you're actually pretty smart. I can see why you do so well in the tests. I hope _I_ can get like that one day."

Weiss knew that, several months ago, Ruby would have mocked her for the sudden divulge of information. The fact that the girl was _complimenting _her showed just how much the little reaper had grown.

"You will." she assured the girl, smiling fondly. "You most certainly will. After all, I'll be there to help you get there. And perhaps take credit for it."

Ruby smiled at her. "I think I might just be okay with that, actually."

She took a moment to marvel at the lowly girl of fifteen.

Yes. It didn't matter how things went with Neptune. If they developed, then she would still be quite pleased. If not, then it was of no concern. As long as she had friends like Ruby Rose, Weiss believed that everything would be okay.

As long as Ruby is safe.

"_Kira?!" _

The startled gasp from her team leader tore Weiss out of her musing, once again bringing her back into the moment as she glanced over at what exactly it was that Ruby was so shocked about.

There she was.

Kirakishou. The exact blonde girl that Weiss had been speaking of and, apparently, Ruby's potential paramour if her team leader had anything to say about it.

She had been walking nearby prior to Ruby's excited yell, only to turn around from the sound and greet them with a warm smile. Weiss was privy to the sight of Kirakishou's eye widening ever so slightly moments before an overexcited Ruby crashed into her in what Weiss could assume was an aura-fuelled glomp.

It was made clear immediately from that blonde mop of hair, who exactly it was. _Nobody _had hair that long, not even Yang Xiao Long herself. Nobody but Kirakishou. It was an honest curiosity just _how _the girl even managed to keep hair that long even remotely tame, let alone stylised to such a degree. Were Weiss to have been as insensitive as her team leader, she would be badgering the girl for her secrets.

Instead, she settled for a brief huff of frustration and opted to continue inspecting the girl's sudden appearance.

The blonde student was dressed in a ruffled white long-sleeved jacket, coupled with a plaid skirt and long black stockings and carrying a small purse in her delicate hands. Her outfit was completed by a beautiful pair of summer heels that did little to hide the fact that the girl was rather short in comparison to others her age, appearing perhaps a few inches short of Weiss herself.

Kirakishou still wore her odd little rose eyepatch and the two rose hairclips that seemingly helped to part her hair. At this point, Weiss was wondering if the girl either had multiple exact copies of the accessories or just never took them off. Assuming Ruby's babbled explanation regarding her morning wake-up beside the blonde had been entirely accurate, she had also been wearing them to bed.

A small morbid part of her wondered what exactly hid behind the flower that covered her right eye. What deformity could be considered so macabre to remain hidden even in ones own room? Or had it been simply an addition whilst Ruby… attended? There was no way of knowing.

Much like seemingly _any_ kind of information surrounding the 'Rozen Maiden' and Kirakishou's unique name. There had been nothing. No information at all, no matter how far she searched or what connections she implored. It was rather frustrating. A girl with such vexing beauty _had_ to have been noticed, somewhere. Hopefully the Schnee records held some information on her.

...Not that she was jealous or anything of such anonymity. Not at all.

"W-What are you doing here?!" Ruby cried out frantically, eyes wide in surprise as she fussed over the girl much the same way a mother would for their child, looking over the girl as if she would break apart at any moment. Weiss herself remained silent for the moment as she allowed the scene to play out before her.

The blonde smiled, nuzzling her cheek affectionately against Ruby's even as the reaper in question squirmed in embarrassment.

"A pure white rose must venture out from her garden to explore the encompassing area, so that she may seek out the weeds that attempt to entrench themselves in her beloved field." she murmured, just loud enough for Weiss to hear the words over the bustle of the city. "Even a weed has its purposes within a garden, held under the watchful eye of a skilled rose."

Weiss didn't have the slightest clue as to what any of those prose-filled sentences actually _meant_, yet from the slow nod that Ruby gave in response it was clear that her leader was clearly fluent in the girl's unique verbiage to some degree.

It reminded her of the way in which certain politicians and senators would speak to her father on occasion. Especially during board meetings or other similar events. There was a skill to be learnt in understanding the underlying intentions behind words.

'_Meanings beyond words, Weiss. If you are to become heiress, you must look underneath the pointlessness of flattery. You must learn to see what exactly it is that they want from us.'_

Her father was many things. Of all the horrid failings of that man, Weiss would never deny that he held a calculating mind and a keen understanding for the social construct. Whilst her initial assessment of Kirakishou at the docks had been rather limited, she hoped that this meeting would give her a deeper insight into her intentions.

It was clear that Kirakishou was out looking for something. But _what?_

"B-But still..." Ruby muttered, detaching from the hug and shooting a quick worried glance over her way for a moment. "Vale is a pretty big place, Kira. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Weiss didn't need her father's strict tutelage on the intricacies of verbal and nonverbal cues to see that whilst Ruby was embarrassed to be hugged by Kirakishou and rather worried on the girl's behalf, she was also sneaking more than a few glances at her outfit. Judging by the flushed cheeks her leader displayed, she most certainly appreciated the view.

_She is uncharacteristically shy towards Kirakishou in comparison to her actions with others. There's definitely a crush as she said, but how can a girl so forward as to easily admit a crush to a fellow teammate behave like this towards said crush? Is it just a general discomfort in public, or something more?_

_What is it about this girl that enraptures you so, Ruby Rose? _

_Does she even understand how you are feeling towards her? Does she see? Does she feel the same way? _

"Kira. It is so very good to see you again." Weiss decided to interject, taking a blatant step forward and injecting herself in the conversation in a formal manner. "I wanted to thank you for taking the initiative to assist my team leader this morning. You didn't have to do that."

The blonde's amber eye snapped to her in an instant, yet she made no adjustment of her posture away from Ruby barring a slight turning of her head at the last second. Her smile, however, deepened a few inches.

"I did have to do that." she answered softly, a lilt of amusement flourishing within her tone. "A pale rose will always be there for her maiden of red. Although, she won't deny that she enjoyed the activity immensely. Ruby was _very_ affectionate with her beloved pale rose."

"Kira!" Ruby hissed. Or whined. It was hard to tell. She was blushing heavily and waving her hands about like some loon. "We… we really need to work on your words. Y-You can't just go saying things like that to random people, you know, even if they are my teammates..."

The blonde merely giggled, cupping her own cheeks in a decidedly cute manner and mumbling an apology of some sort from what Weiss could understand. Ruby's protests died almost as quickly as they had formed. The young leader glanced away from Kira, unintentionally meeting Weiss' eyes.

"S-Sorry about this, Weiss. It's not what it sounds like..." Ruby murmured. "She doesn't really have that much of a filter with things."

The sentiment was appreciated, however she knew already not to take Kirakishou's words at face value. Especially in regards to something as absurd as whatever Ruby's hormone-addled mind was assuming. It was far more likely that Kira had merely phrased things poorly.

Weiss waved off her leader's worries with a placating smile, uttering niceties as the blonde immediately returned to speaking with Ruby about her exploration of the Vale city proper. It was clear that she had become the third wheel in this particular outing, even if neither of the two other girls had even intended such.

For a brief moment, the heiress allowed herself to bask in the relative ease of her team leader coercing with somebody else for a change.

...To think that, originally, she had been pleased to get Ruby away from her little _crush_ for a brief period. She hadn't anticipated that without the object of her affection to occupy her interests, Ruby would stoop to her endless nonsensical _babbling_ and every damn subject under the sun. Worse still, she seemed to possess an almost childlike inability to _choose a subject and stick with it. _

Suffice to say, Weiss Schnee was both glad and… not so glad, that they had happened to stumble into Kirakishou during their mission. For all of her advancements so far, Ruby Rose was still an excitable young girl.

_If anything, this will be useful blackmail material if I need it. It is almost fascinating to see how much the 'fearless leader' melts under her presence… _

Weiss continued to stare as Ruby excitedly prattled on about a menagerie of random topics with the blonde student, intrigue stirring within her as she saw how _easily_ Kira seemed to handle everything regarding her team leader. There weren't any requests for clarification, no sense of agitation with her rampant flood of topics, no awkward pauses.

She simply listened, added her own words when necessary, and continued to lather affection whenever she could get away with it.

Her lone eye had never left Ruby, Weiss observed. Not once. There was a distinct possessiveness held within that amber eye that left the heiress feeling a vague sense of unease. She had seen many a look before in the eyes of her younger brother Whitley found something that interested him.

It was rather jarring to see such a look aimed at a _person_, let alone her very own team leader.

"...Penny?"

* * *

"...Penny?"

Things had escalated, Ruby decided. Not that she was averse to such things, but it was kind of a shock to her at first.

It was actually really fun talking with Weiss like this, just the two of them. She figured that the Schnee Heiress was a little bit uptight around others and could only really unwind when she didn't have to deal with maintaining everyone's expectations. Whilst Ruby noticed that she _had_ got a little bit better when it was just the team she was talking with, Weiss overall kept people at an arm's length. Ruby wanted to change that.

She hadn't expected her to be this difficult to actually speak with, but perhaps that was because Ruby did admittedly have other things on her mind at the time.

Thankfully Weiss had surprised her and actually started up a conversation with her that Ruby was all too happy to reciprocate into a passingly decent chat. The Atlas-born girl was incredibly knowledgeable about historical facts and was more than happy to speak about it when prompted. It was kind of like a one-on-one lecture, come to think of it.

But she wasn't complaining. It was just about the best she could get from Weiss at the time.

Kira showing up was a bit of a surprise, but it was a welcome one for sure. From what she could understand, the blonde was exploring Vale in her own unique way. It had worried Ruby immensely that the girl who just last night had seemed so weak was out and about in the streets of an unfamiliar city, but Kirakishou had assured her she would be fine.

Nevertheless, Ruby was still worried. It reminded her of the times when Zwei would run out around the forest for a bit and they'd all have to go looking for him. Perhaps comparing Kirakishou to an overeager puppy wasn't the best comparison, it was still the first thing that she thought of.

"Uhh..." a particular ginger-haired girl stammered, drawing her thoughts away from the blond doll for a moment.

_Penny. She's here too. I remember her. _

Because of how they had been requested to escort Kirakishou to the headmaster, she hadn't really had much time to say hello to Penny when they had first met. But even still, when Penny had found her again soon after, they had got along rather easily and Penny had all but volunteered to help Ruby with her investigation.

When Penny had joined in on the battle at the docks against the White Fang, with _her and her mother alongside_, the girl had absolutely shredded.

_Fucking LASER SWORDS. That will never NOT be totally cool. Oh gawddd._

"Where have you been?!" Ruby cried out, wondering what had happened with the girl. She hadn't heard from her in what felt like ages. "We haven't seen you since the night at the docks. What happened?"

Kirakishou, standing beside them, blinked a few times and focused her gaze on Penny, cocking her head to the side in a silent display of confusion. Ruby wasn't entirely certain what that meant, but decided she had bigger fish to fry at the moment.

"S-Sorry… I, er, I think you're… _confused_." Penny hiccuped, rapidly looking over at the three girls with slowly mounting worry. "Uh… I've got to go..." she stated, abruptly turning and disappearing into the crowd as fast as she could.

There was a brief moment where the three girls watched Penny depart, staring at her in bewilderment.

"What was _that_ about?" Weiss wondered aloud, brows furrowed. "She seemed awfully… disquieted."

Ruby didn't bother to reply, merely opting to grab Kira's hand before rushing into the crowd after the odd girl. In a way, it was almost comical how Kirakishou's long blonde locks swayed violently in the wind as she was abruptly yanked away from the scene without a moment's notice.

For her part, Weiss did not deign to attempt to stop her team leader in any way. There was simply no point in attempting such. It was clear that Ruby aimed to get to the bottom of whatever it was that had occurred at the docks with Penny- Weiss wasn't certain on the details of the event and she doubted she ever would be. Neither Blake or Ruby wanted to speak of the event and even Yang seemed to want to leave the matter alone.

Just as she was about to lose sight of Ruby in the crowd, she spotted Kirakishou turning to look back over her shoulder directly in Weiss' direction, pinning an intense amber gaze her way.

For an instant, a single _fleeting_ second as Weiss stood outside the transmit tower, she felt her blood run cold. Try as she might, she could not tear her gaze away from that odd blonde-haired girl who followed her team leader into the distance. Her gut squirmed as the sounds of distance chatter faded into a horrid silence.

The girl in question smiled momentarily and promptly turned away even as Weiss suddenly found herself privy to the sound of the rapid beating of her heart. Only then, did she finally find the strength to avert her eyes.

_What it oum's name was that?_

* * *

Much to her relief, it didn't take that long to catch up with Penny. She was getting pretty good at picking the girl out from a crowd and her semblance made it so that speed wasn't much of an issue. Besides, it wasn't as if there were that many people who had _orange_ hair!

_Well… Nora does. But she's in the Albert St Mall arcade at the moment. _

_...Perhaps I'm paying too much attention to that girl's updates online… but I can't help it! She has the funniest updates ever! Who'd have thought that Jaune was so freakishly good at air hockey?_

Getting back on topic, she found the orange-haired girl from the docks walking down the stairs away from the transmit tower, trying and failing to blend in with the crowd.

"...She is a very… _interesting_ little flower, is she not?" Kirakishou murmured. "Why, I can barely see her. How odd."

It was with a sudden start that she realised that she'd inadvertently dragged the blonde doll along with her in her rush to chase after Penny. She hadn't been meaning too, not really, but she'd acted on instinct and grabbed her the moment she could.

"Oh… um. Sorry. I didn't mean to just pull you away like that, Kira..." she mumbled in embarrassment, glancing away.

Kirakishou merely giggled and tapped her on the nose. "Where else would I be, but by the side of my beloved rose? Silly~"

She didn't bother to deign that with a reply, no matter what the heat in her cheeks or the tingle down her spine implied about her feelings in the matter. Huffing, she grabbed the doll and marched over towards Penny before the quirky ginger-haired girl could get away from them.

"Penny! Wait up!" she yelled out the moment she got close, "Where have you _been? _It's been _weeks!" _

The girl froze, staring at her with widened eyes before glancing away. Next to her, Ruby could see Kirakishou cocking her head to the side in apparent confusion.

"...There, seems to be a misunderstanding."

"You are the one mistaken." Kirakishou interjected suddenly, stepping forward before Ruby could think to stop her. "Ruby is worried, little stranger. She is confused. Scared. She only wishes to understand what happened with you, during that night at the docks. Is that so wrong? Are you really the type of person to run from a friend?"

Penny glanced away in shame, yet Kirakishou did not relent.

"Do not shut us out, please. Ruby only wishes to understand your side of the story. If you are her friend, you owe her that much."

Ruby squirmed ever so slightly at the impassioned speech coming from her doll. Her _lover_. It had been the first time all day that she had seen Kirakishou take the initiative and actively speak up, rather than merely replying when spoken to.

And she'd done it for her.

Ruby wasn't going to let this moment go to waste.

"_Please_, Penny." Ruby pushed. "I don't exactly know what's wrong, but I'm your friend. Please just listen to me. Those guys we fought at the docks, I think they're up to something big. Something bad. I _need_ you to tell me what happened to you that night. Please. _As a friend._"

Penny looked up at Ruby. There was a hesitant expression on her face, yet she seemed to gain resolve and eventually nodded slightly.

"_...It isn't safe to talk here." _

They eventually found themselves in small coffee shop on the outskirts of Vale, overlooking the surrounding ocean. Much to her internal relief, there weren't that many people around at this time in the early afternoon. Most of the foot traffic she'd see around Vale typically centred around the business district or major shopping districts.

Originally they hadn't been planning to actually find a place like this, but upon Kira's prompts that a smaller area would be better than just walking around, Penny and Ruby had relented. It was thankfully a pretty good idea that saved her poor feet from any more pain. Plus the waitress gave them all a free sample of something called '_kakigori_' which vaguely reminded her of a snow cone, albeit a lot fluffier and served with a spoon.

She'd originally wanted to get some of the regular ice cream there, as supposedly they were well known for their soft-serve, but after taking one look at the lady serving them she decided to keep things nice and simple and just accept the free serving.

To be honest she had felt a little bad for the waitress. She'd recognised the girl from Beacon Academy. Probably a second or third year from what she could tell. Regardless, the girl had certainly looked like she hadn't slept that well recently. There were bags under her eyes and she barely spoke a word when Ruby tried to introduce herself.

"Oh!" she blurted suddenly, grabbing the attention from the other two girls as a sudden thought came to mind. "I completely forgot to introduce you two. Penny, this is Kirakishou. Though you can call her Kira if you want. She's a… close friend of mine. Kira, this is Penny. Do you remember her? We met her around the docks when I first met you."

The two girls blinked at her, before turning to stare at each other for a moment in a rather creepy display of synchronicity.

She was about to comment on the awkwardness when Kirakishou clapped her hands to her cheeks and put on a teasing expression that Ruby recognised all too well. "Ah~ I see my beautiful little rose finally remembered her manners. It is a pleasure to meet a friend of Ruby. A pale rose regrets her poor behaviour during the docks, I was… _overwhelmed_ by the city at first."

Ruby was about to comment on how she _definitely did not 'just remember her manners' thank you very much _when she realised the way that Kirakishou spoke to Penny was a little odd. Compared to how she'd been when Ruby had introduced her to her other friends at Beacon, Kira actually seemed genuinely interested.

Borderline _intrigued_, really.

Plus she was using first person speech (for the most part) which… well, she was sure that it meant _something_. Whilst it was certainly a lot easier to talk with Kirakishou nowadays, she was still having a bit of trouble _understanding_ a lot of her depths.

Which was one of the things she absolutely adored about the doll. But… ah. Perhaps it wasn't the best time to go down _that_ particular road, or else she'd start getting flustered again.

In front of a _guest_, too! That would be so embarrassing!

"...That's okay." Penny said hesitantly answered. It took Ruby a moment to remember what was actually going on. "When I first arrived in Vale, I could tell that it was very different to Atlas. I didn't really know anybody and my Uncle was worried I that wouldn't get to know anybody. Then Ruby came and offered to be my friend. I was so overjoyed."

...Ruby tried not to think about how her 'offer of friendship' with the orange-haired girl had been essentially a halfhearted statement she'd thrown on at the end of a sentence.

It didn't matter. Her dad always did say that sometimes you just… stumbled into friendships whether you liked them or not. Apparently it had been how he'd eventually developed a friendship with Qrow the first time they'd met at their Beacon initiation.

She was glad to have met Penny, no matter _how_ they had met in the first place. Hopefully, she could learn a bit more about the girl.

"...Still." Penny continued. "I didn't want you to get involved with this, Ruby. Trainee huntress or not, I wouldn't want a friend of mine to get hurt fighting bad guys."

Ruby could only shrug. "Eh. When you go and stop a robbery and just so happen to get inducted into Beacon a couple years early, you learn that sometimes life likes to throw a surprise your way."

The blonde sitting beside her nodded approvingly. "Yes. You were quite the surprise, beloved. Yet a pale rose could want nothing more. Sometimes, surprises are truly beautiful things."

Penny looked between them, going from her own embarrassed expression over to the blissful contentment showing on her doll. Eventually, she nodded in understanding.

"...My father asked me not to venture out too far." she continued, shooting the two a few glances occasionally. "He loved me a lot, but he worries… I _really_ don't want to make him worry, Ruby."

She gave a smile at girl's anxiety, a little amazed that a woman like penny could even exist. She couldn't imagine saying something so very sappy out loud, let alone with a straight face.

"You love him."

She turned to Kirakishou upon hearing the blonde speak. Kira wasn't smiling like she normally did, but her tone didn't _sound_ that bad. Ruby wondered what the girl was thinking.

Penny nodded immediately, clearly not picking up on Ruby's concern. "I do. So when I was… _asked…_ not to speak to any of you, I had to listen."

"...Your dad was _that_ upset?" Ruby asked lowly, taking a sup of her drink as she thought about the idea. She'd heard of protective dads, but even that was a lot in her mind. To ask a girl not to talk to her new friends was crazy.

Penny shook her head. "No. It… it wasn't my father. It was my uncle."

_That would make a bit more sense. The guy's probably just trying to look out for his niece. I think Qrow was a bit like that when I was younger, especially right when I started training to be a huntress. Dad was brutal, but Uncle Qrow had the eyes of a hawk. One wrong move and BLAM! Every time. Couldn't get away with nothing. _

"...General James Ironwood of the Atlesian Military. The hero. Your uncle."

Blinking in surprise, Ruby whirled around over to Kirakishou following her declaration. She wondered how the _hell_ Kira could have assumed something like that. But judging by Penny's gasp, the girl had been right on the money.

...'Right on the money' is how that saying goes, right? She wasn't sure. It sounded right.

"No that's… I-I didn't mean… what I mean is-" Penny hiccuped before abruptly slumping as she drooped her head, dismayed. "Oh no… They're going to be so upset…"

_Her Uncle really is General James Ironwood. Whoa. Is she like… a lieutenant or something then? Or does that not pass down the family? Is she a soldier? Bah. I wish I knew more about the military. Oh! I'll ask Weiss when I can. She'd know. I hope. _

"It's alright..." Ruby consoled as best she could after that bombshell of news. "Just because Kira figured it out, doesn't mean that you accidentally said things you weren't supposed to."

"H-How _did_ you figure it out, Miss Kira? I.. I didn't _think_ that I'd said anything that could imply such."

Kirakishou smiled faintly and glanced down at her untended drink. "Even the most pale of roses can grow in an unfamiliar environment, provided they take the time to listen."

Ruby rolled her eyes at the remark. It seemed that even though Kirakishou was paying a bit more attention to Penny than she had been for most other people she'd been introduced to, there was nothing that was going to stop her flower speech.

She did feel an odd tightness in her chest as she glanced between Penny and Kira, but she was sure it was nothing.

"That _probably_ just means she just overheard some soldiers talking about it or something." Ruby supplied when she saw that Penny was looking confused. "Kirakishou likes to speak like that sometimes. It takes a while to get used to it. Nobody seems to understand it but think it's really cute."

She hadn't meant to say that last part aloud, but judging by the hand that was suddenly intertwined with her own, she'd failed that particular quest. However it was only when Penny's eyes snapped to stare at their conjoined hands inquisitively did she realise _how_ in particular she'd failed.

…_Oh boy. Please don't tell me I have to explain this to General Ironwood's niece…_

* * *

**A/N: **  
Another one down! This chapter was very difficult for me to write. Now that we're into the plot, there are certain lines of dialogue which need to be transcribed and certain events that need to take place. I found myself rewatching early RWBY episodes over and over again, just to find the right little detail.

Regardless, we move ever onwards. Looking forward to writing some action-packed scenes soon.


	16. Chapter 16

Kirakishou's hand tightened in hers, drawing Ruby's attention away from a weapons-display in a nearby storefront. She sent a smile towards the doll, squeezing back ever so slightly and enjoying the sound of the blonde's delighted giggles at her actions.

_I love this so much… Is this what you were trying to show me on the balcony of the dorms this morning? Just to enjoy a moment..?_

There was once a time where holding hands with Kirakishou had been a little awkward at first, yet in the freedom of Vale and the relative security of being away from her teammates, Ruby was free to enjoy all of her one-on-one time with the doll.

Perhaps she was being a little bit greedy in monopolising the doll's time over checking in with the rest of her team, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Not now. Kirakishou didn't seem to mind, either. If anything the girl had seemed over the moon when Ruby had suggested that they spend a little bit of extra time sightseeing.

They were going through most of the shopping district at the moment. Ruby, unfortunately, didn't have that much in the way of lien to spend so she was mostly just restricted to window shopping for now. Kirakishou appeared very interested in the various weapon parts and how they interlocked together to form a mechashift weapon; a topic that Ruby was _more_ than eager to speak about.

There was something to be said about the visceral experience of touring an area with the person you care for.

On a completely unrelated note, Penny had been forced to return back to 'debrief' with her Uncle. _General James Freaking Ironwood _after a promise that they not reveal the girl's secret_. _But if she were being honest with herself, Ruby would admit that she was kind of glad not to have to share Kirakishou's attention with the excitable orange-haired girl. Penny had turned out to be the first person that Kira had displayed any degree of interest in all day.

Not that there was anything wrong with that. Right?

...She wasn't jealous.

Well. Okay. Maybe she was a bit jealous.

Originally she had thought that she'd be fine with pushing Kirakishou to socialise and meet new people, that it was _for the best_, but much to her chagrin Ruby had quickly discovered that watching Kirakishou chat with others was as painful as chatting to other people herself.

Come to think of it, ever since Pyrrha sent a _certain look_ towards Kira, she'd been feeling weird all day. It was as if the redhead had seen something in her partner. Something that she liked. It was a perfectly normal thing, but something about it made Ruby freak out and want get Kira the _hell_ away from the supposed 'invincible woman'.

_See! That! I like Pyrrha! I shouldn't be getting all annoyed with her. She's always nice and friendly and gives lots of good advice when we spar in Glynda's class. Yet… why is it that I can't stand the way you look at Kira?_

It was rather odd. She'd never really been like that whenever she had hung out with other friends before. If anything, Ruby typically loved it when a small trip with a friend turned into a big group hangout. This sudden bout of possessiveness had completely came out of nowhere for her and no matter how she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling.

_Then Penny comes with her military general uncle and her totaaaaally interesting backstory..._

But it didn't matter now. It was just them. Her and Kira- nobody else to get in the way and ruin things. She knew that she was being a little bit possessive in wanting Kira's attention, but they were _dating_ after all. From what she understood of a relationship, it was perfectly normal for her to want the majority of Kirakishou's time for herself.

Plus it helped that the doll was more than happy to comply. If anything she seemed to almost be preening at all the attention Ruby showered her with; which was admittedly all kinds of adorable to witness. She looked like Zwei did whenever she and Yang would spend some the afternoon taking him to the park. Happy as can be.

So she would enjoy the relative freedom with the girl she cared for, in this brief little moment before the rest of her team would message her about how their own missions went. From there, considering her past luck, she'd probably involved in some big fight or something equally as engaging.

"_Don't leave. Stay with me in this moment. Please. Just for a little while longer." _

The memories of her morning with Kirakishou still sent a flutter of excitement down her spine as she continued to explain mechashift weapons to the girl, watching intently as the blonde's eye never looked away from her. Everything about the doll was so very intense, so very overwhelming, that it was difficult for her to comprehend at times.

It wasn't like she had any experience with romancing magical animated dolls. Or, well, just romance in general really.

Yet, she could try. There was far too much that she shared in common with her partner, after all. For better or for worse.

The doll, Kirakishou, was lonely. A lonely, broken girl that had tried to reach out once before, only to be shunned by her very own sisters and thrown away. For all Ruby knew, there was a distinct possibility that it had even been Kirakishou's own sisters that had put her in that damn shipping crate in the first place. It would certainly make sense considering how traumatised Kirakishou was at even the slightest mention of her other sisters.

In the end, no matter who was behind it, Kirakishou had lost someone dear to her. Either her sisters or 'Jun'. Whilst she didn't know much about this 'Jun' fellow, he must have been a pretty great guy for someone like Kirakishou to fall for him.

_...Though he did choose her sisters over Kira. So perhaps he isn't that great. I can't believe that a guy could do that. I know I'd never do something so horrible- no matter what. I hope that Kira knows that. _

Yet Kirakishou still hadn't given up after Jun's betrayal. She was still trying, in her own way, to forge a strong connection and _finally_ get a chance at happiness. Even if it was with a little girl from Patch who didn't have a clue how to handle something so complex like a relationship. To _finally-_

"_I can finally be like my other sisters, without their interference. And it's all due to nought but a single glance at a chance moment."_

Perhaps that was why she had fallen so hard for the girl. To experience what it was like to have someone who truly understood the pain she went through when she lost her mother. Together they would turn agony into bliss.

_And just look at you now. You're thriving, aren't you Kira? We're thriving. All from one chance encounter. Guess you were right after all… _

"...Ruby? Beloved, are you alright? You're crying."

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the very doll that had captivated her in the first place. With as much haste as she could, she wiped away the infernal tears that were impeding her vision of the wonderful doll that had captured her heart and restored her family.

"I will be. Just a little emotional, I guess. Going through a few things. I'm just... pretty new to all of this stuff, you know."

Understatement of the century right there. It was, quite literally, the first romantic relationship she'd _ever _had. None of the boys back in Patch had ever been interested in her before. Nor had any of the girls, not that she'd thought she swung that way at the time. Certainly was a bit of a surprise to say the least.

Part of her wondered how dad would react to the news.

"I'm pretty new to this stuff, _too_, you know." Kirakishou parroted straight back at her, adding her own little 'too' at the end as a mischievous smile flourished on her face.

Ruby puffed out her cheeks at the teasing tone, even as the doll had the audacity to giggle.

To be fair, she hadn't known for sure about Kirakishou's history. Not really. Not until Kira confirmed it for her. Ruby had of course suspected that Kirakishou was about as oblivious in the relationship field as her considering just how _grabby_ she had been before they had confessed their feelings. Ruby had been much the same when she was younger, before Yang had sat her down and explained boundaries.

She didn't see other couples doing that in public, after all. Not that she'd ever paid that much attention to all of that icky romance stuff until a few years back.

_Well she's still a bit grabby… _Ruby thought with a blush as the doll rested her head on Ruby's shoulder for support, _b__ut perhaps that's not something that I really mind._

"_..._We should do this again. In another moment. Together." Kirakishou stated suddenly, glancing off in the distance towards the afternoon sun with a wistful expression on her face. "Would you like that, little rose?"

She followed Kirakishou's gaze, momentarily entranced by the sunset. There was something beautiful in the way it shone through the buildings of Vale's shopping district, how it spilled out into the roads and covered everything in its nurturing golden glow. Perhaps she'd spent a little too much time stuck inside studying to ever truly notice it before.

_Crap. Lost track again… Damn dastardly sunsets! _

Ruby blinked a little, tearing her gaze away from the sunset as she struggled to remember what Kira had said in the first place. "Huh? You want to hang out with Penny again?" she clarified, not particularly pleased about the idea. Though she tried to keep that thought out of her voice.

The doll giggled at her, before shaking her head and clarifying. "We should experience this beautiful city of yours. Together. As a couple. _Just the two of us_."

Oh. Well at least she didn't mean hanging out with Penny. She honestly wasn't entirely sure exactly how she would feel if Kira wanted to hang out with Penny again, even if the girl was nice enough to help out with her investigation. That would be-

Wait wait _WHAT-_

"_Y-You want to go on a date?!" _ she almost screamed out in surprise, barely managing to keep her voice at a level enough volume so as to prevent people nearby from overhearing. Though it did nothing to hide the shock in her tone or prevent the frenzied flutter of nervousness from suddenly blossoming within her stomach.

Kirakishou detached herself from the embrace and nodded. "Yes. I do." she answered, squeezing her hand and pulling it forward in some grand gesture towards the rest of the city. "Imagine. To walk through this area. This... _Vale…_ together. A doll and her precious rose. You have always adored the city of Vale, have you not? Would you not enjoy spending some of your time touring the city with a little doll like me?"

W-Well…

It _was _true… Ruby _had_ always loved seeing Vale every time that she had visited the city through her childhood. Whether it was just her tagging along with dad when he went to fix up his weapon or tutor a class or something, or even when it was a trip of her own to purchase exclusive parts for Crescent Rose found only in Vale.

Vale was a wonderful place to her.

It was almost some picturesque fantasy city from one of those books that Yang used to read to her as a kid. A shining example of what the rest of the world _could_ be like if it weren't for baddies ruining everything. Innovation, invention, discovery, adventure. Freedom and prosperity. Vale had it all.

...Not to mention there was this fruit shop near a park that sold some really yummy strawberries that her dad would buy for her every time they went on a trip. It was practically a tradition at this point.

She would really enjoy taking Kirakishou to that little fruit shop. Perhaps hand feeding a few to her. Couples did things like that, right? Or was that only in movies?

"I-I think I would like that..." Ruby answered shyly, glancing away from Kirakishou momentarily as she felt a stinging sensation in her eyes. "...I just don't know how you can always figure out all this stuff about me, Kira. I've spent so much of my life just being the 'girl with a big scythe' ya know? Then out of nowhere you just come by and you… you _see right through me_. Now you want to go on a date and I just..." she sniffed, shaking her head and trying to focus her thoughts. "There are times where I can't believe what's going on, where I feel like everything is changing and it's so hard to-"

Kirakishou moved closer to her, pulling Ruby into a tight hug. For her part, she just couldn't find the fight in her to resist and instead snuggled into the embrace, resting her head against the doll's shoulder and trying not to openly weep in public from the sudden emotional weight.

It was all just too much to handle at once. She was scared and confused. This wasn't something she had trained for.

"You told me that you would be there for me, Ruby." Kirakishou whispered into her ear. "I would do the same for you. I would _always_ do the same for you. I would follow you down every path, through every avenue… just to be by your side as I am in this very moment. I would change the past and correct the future, if it meant that we would be together. You need not fear change by my side, because we will change _together_."

She sniffed, glancing at the doll with teary silver eyes. "Together?"

Kirakishou leant forward.

"Together."

* * *

"_...Together."_

Summer Rose shot up awake, breathing heavily as she felt her heart pound rampantly within the confines of her artificial body. She wasn't even sure if it was her own heartbeat, or the resultant effect of the illusion cast over herself.

It didn't matter. It had certainly _felt_ real enough.

"..._Go back to sleep, Sum.." _Tai snoozed next to her. Whilst they had fallen asleep in a lovers embrace, it would appear that sometime during the night her husband had shifted over and fallen asleep on his side, facing away from her.

It was actually rather odd. From what she remembered, Tai always slept on his back. Perhaps it was for the best, however.

She didn't think she could handle seeing his face.

The sheer _grief_ that lay within his eyes whenever he gazed at her, the palpable concern that she might fade away if he even glanced in another direction was more than she could handle in her fragile state.

Whilst she had put up a brave face for her little girl, she couldn't for Tai. Not her Tai. Not for the man that had seen through her, so very long ago. The man that had been with her though the highest and lowest points of her life. Summer couldn't hide her feelings from him. She had bawled her eyes out and screamed until her throat felt like it was going to burn.

It was almost funny, in a sense. She didn't know who exactly had been the most surprised when she had opened the door to her home for the first time in over ten years- her husband or _herself_.

To see that stupid coffee table that she'd always bump into, laying innocently in the centre of the living room.

The same stove that still had a bad element on the top left, still carrying the scorch mark when little Yang had first tried to cook for her baby sister all those years ago.

That stupid oversized plush kitten that Tai accidentally won when they were still students.

Multiple PICTURES OF HER DAMN DAUGHTERS ALL GROWN UP.

Grown up without her.

The mere sight of everything was overwhelming. No. Beyond overwhelming. It was as if her very heart was screaming at her in a despondent, anguished rage. She didn't know if it was because of her resurrection, or the knowledge that so much time had passed but her grief was all the same. There was no stopping it.

If it weren't for Tai, she wouldn't have been able to take one foot inside her own house without bawling like a child. Yet he was there for her- as he always had been. Not once had he even questioned her sudden arrival. Not once had he asked her _what the hell happened_. No. Not her Tai.

He had simply walked forward, pulled her close, and kissed her soundly. Beautiful buffoon that he was. He'd known exactly what to do, even after all these years. She had vowed to pull him close and never let go, all those years ago.

_And now you're the one pulling me back… Oh, Tai… _

There were no words to be shared between them in that first initial encounter. And she hadn't complained in the slightest. For there were no words that could be said between them that wouldn't do anything but detract from the wonder of the moment.

It was only after they had been forced to pull back, if only to breathe, that the questions had started. She had known it was coming, but oum if Summer wished that she would only have more time to understand things for herself.

_What happened? _

_How are you here? _

_Where were you?_

_Are you alright? _

_What's wrong? _

Though each question, through each of her responses, Summer Rose found herself realising an inescapable truth. It was a horrid truth. She hadn't wanted to admit it. Whether it be out loud or to herself.

But there was no denying it. It was too obvious.

_Her memories were missing. _

Not all of them, thankfully enough. Oh no. She could never forget her life. Not all of it. But a sizeable portion of her memories seemingly weren't present at all. Small bits of her childhood. Random events through Beacon Academy. Much of her time with Yang before Ruby's birth. Several missions, up to and including the _final_ mission that had apparently ended in her death.

They were all gone. Cut out and discarded in an almost surgical precision.

Once Tai had realised what was happening, they had sat down and systematically gone through everything that she could remember. He had consoled her each and every time that she felt like the journey was getting too much. She, of course, hadn't mentioned her… _transformation_ into some magical doll.

With the illusion from Ruby's little doll friend covering her body, it was as if she was simply the same Summer Rose as always. She didn't know when she'd _ever_ be ready to even begin to explain such a thing to Tai. It was like something out of a stupid fairy-tale. It was perhaps the first piece of information she had withheld from her husband since their marriage.

_Fifteen minutes and she was done_. Fifteen minutes. That was all that it had taken to recount all of the major events of her life barring that single exception. By the look on Tai's face, she had missed out on a lot of things.

She just couldn't take it. Not in front of Tai.

It scared her, she would admit it. To suddenly find herself over a decade into the future following a mission that she couldn't even remember? It was frightening to attempt to understand the sheer amount of time she had lost. Her baby, her precious little jewel, had grown up and was following right down her footsteps.

How much of Ruby's life had she truly missed? All because of some mission she couldn't remember.

The last thing she remembered of little Ruby was her running around in the backyard with her diaper on her head, for oum's sake! Now her little Ruby was a student in _Beacon Academy _of all places, fighting against extremists and grimm alike with a scythe that was bigger than _her!_

_My little sun and stars… Why oh why did you decide to become a huntress? What in the world could have made you want to pursue such a blood-soaked fate? _

Yet she knew why. She knew the moment that she stepped inside the house again. She could tell from the pictures of Ruby all around the house, from her birthday photos to her graduation photo. One thing was made readily apparent.

Ruby was her mother's daughter, through and through. To think that her daughter had gone and trained to become a huntress in order to follow in _her_ footsteps was _not_ what she had expected happening.

She had rounded on Tai with a vengeance.

Summer would take pride in the fact that Tai still feared her pinches, even to this very day. Because it was made _mighty clear_ that the man deserved a great many of them after letting their daughter become the one thing that she was staunchly against.

Yet knowing Tai he probably didn't stand a damn chance against a Rose girl with her mind set on something. She shook her head dejectedly as she gazed at her snoring idiot of a husband. Summer had been much the same when she was younger. Were it not for Tai's help, she would have found herself in a lot of trouble throughout her time at Beacon and beyond.

_You stupid little fool… Even after what happened, seeing Ruby trying to become a huntress must have hurt you beyond measure. I know it would. Seeing her running around with some silly hood and pretending to be her departed mother… But you put all that aside and trained her as best you can, just to make her happy. _

_You really are a wonderful man, Taiyang Xiao Long. _

_My beloved husband. _

_I know you must have tried to fight against her decision. I know you must have done everything to try and dissuade her. You knew what my opinion of hunters and huntresses was. You knew I would have never let her into that world. Yet my little jewel clearly won out in the end… You were exactly the same with Yang, after all. She had you wrapped around her finger. Guess Ruby learnt a thing or two._

* * *

She made her way outside.

Taiyang Xiao-Long was many things. Many things indeed. But he was not, as they would say, a light sleeper. The man slept like a bear trying to hibernate for the winter and snored _constantly_. But they were cute little snores. Many a night in her life, that she could remember, those stupid girly snores had helped her fall asleep and quell any anxiety she had been feeling at the time.

Of course, she would tease him the next day about his _little nappy time_, but he'd know the true reason behind her words. He always did.

She shook her head, unable to keep the wistful smile off her face as she stared up at the glimmering stars and fragmented moon.

_How long has it been since I stood here, gazing up at the sky? How many years have passed? It feels almost like just yesterday night I was right here, saying my goodbyes before rushing off to that final mission. _

Her very existence was an impossibility. She should not be here. It defies nature. Defies reason and everything that she had been taught across the years. Dead is dead. There is no going back.

_But here I am. An artificial, animated doll. Brought back to make her own little girl smile again._

_Ruby certainly makes some interesting friends, doesn't she? _

A childish dream had brought her back to life. A beautiful, wonderful dream. Summer Rose intended to make her life _count_ in honour of this dream. She had been given a second chance in the world, a chance to do something right. And, by oum, she was going to _use it._

The key lay within her lost memories, she was sure of it.

Something had been lost to time. An important fact had been discarded and thrown away, leaving her incomplete. Without the rest of her memories, she doubted she'd ever feel right. Until then she was nothing but _junk_. A hollow, empty shell with only the barest thread allowing her to continue clinging to life.

But, no matter, she was _junk with a purpose_.

If she could make her daughter smile, if she could remove the grief from her husband's heart, then perhaps her life truly meant something after all.

"So it's true."

She turned to see a woman in an all-too-familiar bone-white mask clad atop a reddened kimono, perched atop the dilapidated remains of a treehouse that had clearly seen better days. She knew this woman all too well. Sure, there were a few cuts and scrapes and some obvious patches here and there, but Summer could easily recognise the outfit and its owner.

"Rae?" a strange look crossed her face as she gazed at the woman she hadn't seen ever since she had reconnected with Taiyang all those years ago. "...What are you doing here?"

The mask was swiftly removed and attached to a small fastener on Raven's belt, allowing the full force of the woman's glare to be seen during the moonlit night.

Raven Branwen had been one of her teammates in Beacon Academy- she had paired with her brother Qrow Branwen and chanced upon Summer and Tai within the Emerald Forest during their orientation. They had bickered at first and had more than a few bouts over the years from what she could remember, but eventually they had settled their differences and became the closest of friends.

Until, one day, Raven Branwen walked out and never came back.

From what her broken memories could ascertain, her teammate had betrayed her to join a group of bandits or something. Or she had been with the bandits the entire time. She wasn't sure.

It was still _one heck of a surprise_ to see the woman hanging out in her backyard of all places.

"_What am I doing here?_" Raven repeated incredulously as her posture faltered, before shaking her head and laughing in a manner that, to her, sounded a little hollow. "No, no… I shouldn't be surprised. _Of course_ that's what you'd say. I shouldn't be surprised. Nothing ever phased the 'White Reaper' after all."

She blushed at the horrid nickname and put her hands on her hips, exasperation rolling off her in waves.

_One teacher_ had seen fit to call her that name and, loathe as she was to admit it, her childhood self had absolutely loved it and used it as her moniker for… _far_ too long. Oum. It was horrible.

"...Please don't call me that. You of all people _know_ how much I hate that damn title."

Raven jumped down from the treehouse, landing in front of her in a well-timed jump that clearly demonstrated that her former teammate certainly hadn't been lounging about all these years. It was still readily apparent that Raven Branwen was as sharp as ever.

In a moment's notice the woman was holding her tight and hugging the life out of her. Shakily, and with a rather sizeable amount of hesitance, she wrapped her arms around Raven.

"I'm glad you're here." Raven whispered softly, before separating from the hug and retreating a small distance before Summer could wriggle free.

She tried not to balk at the exchange. Raven _knew_ that she was uncomfortable with physical contact, yet had done it anyway.

_Has she really missed me that much? Why?_

The sheer idea that the woman had gone and initiated a hug of her own accord spoke volumes at just how relieved Raven was to see her again.

"I'm glad to _be_ here. Though it's all still a bit of a shock. To be honest when I came back here I was half expecting to either find the place abandoned or sold off to someone else."

Raven chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh no. Not in a million years would Tai _ever_ think of doing something like that. The knucklehead will probably be here until the end, come hell or high water. He'd find a way."

As Raven stared off towards the house with _something_ shining within her eyes, Summer was distinctly reminded that this particular woman had once been intimate with her husband.

It had been a few year before their time, but it had happened and Tai had never been the same after Raven disappeared and left Tai as a single dad. She had done her best to support the man in his grief and eventually found herself in a blossoming relationship with him.

Were it not for Raven, she would never have discovered what a wonderful man Taiyang Xiao-long truly is. Yet, there was no denying that Raven Branwen would always remain his first flame. The sudden appearance of said woman in _their backyard_ of all places was enough to put her on edge, even if she was glad to see her after so long.

"Look, I'm sorry okay. You know I didn't mean it like that." Raven interjected, clearly having noticed the look on her face. "Hope you didn't scare the blonde idiot too much, though. Bet you gave him to fright of his life when you walked in the door."

She flushed embarrassingly at the accusation. Raven wasn't exactly wrong on that front. Poor Tai must have been so utterly confused. Were it not for Ozpin sending a message ahead, it would have been far worse.

"It wasn't that bad." Summer tried to defend her husband. Although frankly she knew it was a moot point to even _attempt_ to challenge a Branwen's views on practically anything. But she would do her best to defend her husband's honour-

"...Really?"

"Okay. _Fine_. It was pretty bad."

Raven let out a hearty laugh even as she slumped, defeated.

"I heard you made waves in downtown Vale. Something about fighting against some White Fang that were trying to steal a Schnee company dust shipment? How in the world did _that_ happen?"

_Huh? Those guys were The White Fang? The faunus protesters? Weren't they a small band of peaceful- Oh. Right. It's been a while, hasn't it? Guess their protests didn't yield the results they were looking for after all. _

Many a time had she been called in to handle protests that had gotten out of hand, if only to use her reputation to cool down any fiery tempers. Usually it had been a simple enough affair and after a while she'd gotten rather friendly with a great deal of wounded souls simply trying to fight for what they believed in.

It broke her heart to see such a noble-minded group of people have their dreams twisted to the point they were acting like common thieves.

"You okay?" Raven asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder for support.

The world had been swirling for a bit, there.

"I'm good." she answered automatically, shifting away slightly from the contact. Whilst she had obviously gotten better with handling contact, for the most part she still felt distinctly uncomfortable having people so _close_ to her person, especially now that she was an artificial being hidden behind _some_ kind of illusion.

She wasn't precisely sure how thorough the illusion was that Ruby's doll friend had placed on her, and Summer most certainly did _not_ want to test the effectiveness against a woman like _Raven Freaking Branwen. _

It was, admittedly, more than a little surprising to see Raven initiating contact so much. Once was completely understandable given the situation, twice was just plain _weird_.

Regardless, now Raven was looking all downtrodden after Summer had backed away and she figured that she owed the woman at least a simple response to her question.

"...Sorry. It's just-"

"It's fine." Raven cut her off before she could fully apologise. "I get it. Sorry. Just, please. Continue. What happened in Vale?"

"...I found out that my little girl, Ruby, was down at the docks fighting against armed mercenaries. I most certainly didn't know they were the _White Fang_ of all people. They certainly didn't fight like protesters normally do. They were organised and heavily armed. Fully outfitted with activated aura and dust weaponry. Oum, they'd even stolen _bullheads_."

Raven whistled in appreciation. "Good vehicles. Strong, reliable. Not that fast though, but I doubt that was their intention. They were probably using the vehicles for mass transport of stolen goods. Decent enough plan provided they don't draw any unwanted attention."

"Can you _please_ stop treating things like it's some Detective Kun-kun episode!" Summer cried out in exasperation.

Raven quirked a brow at her, clearly confused. Summer wasn't buying that look for a second.

The woman was _always_ like this. Always _analysing the opponent_, as she called it. Plans within plans. Dissecting every move. Whilst Summer was known throughout the criminal underworld for her tendencies in hunting down said criminals, it was primarily through the use of her semblance that made such a thing possible.

With Summer, however, the woman didn't need a semblance to find the people she was looking for.

"_Anyway_, before I was rudely interrupted..." she continued when she was certain that a certain someone would stay quiet, "I… well. I met with Ruby. She, thankfully, hadn't actually jumped in to fight against the thieves yet. Though she was just about to. Apparently some of her classmates had busted the White Fang in the act and Ruby had overheard the gunshots nearby."

"Makes sense that your daughter would be just as headstrong as you are. From what I hear, she's practically a carbon copy."

Summer rolled her eyes. Her daughter did always possess an eerie resemblance to her, even at a young age Tai would always point out how similar Ruby looked to the old pictures of her childhood that Summer's parents had embarrassingly shown at the wedding reception.

"Well… Yes. Anyway, after we took down the bad guys the VPD arrived and we were forced to take statements. I had a talk with my daughter about a few things and before I knew it, I was back in Beacon and in Ozpin's custody."

The sudden intake of breath from Raven prompting that explanation hadn't been what she had originally been expecting.

"...Shit. That mustn't have gone down well." the woman deadpanned, crossing her arms. "What happened after that?"

Summer shrugged, nonplussed at the caustic tone. She could understand her former teammate's concern, after all Raven _had_ always been distrusting of authority figures even back during their time in Beacon Academy as students- Professor Ozpin specifically. From what vague portions of her memory with the woman that she could recall, that hadn't changed much over the years.

"I gave a statement of what happened and, eventually, I was released."

"_Bullshit!_"

Unconsciously, she found herself stepping backwards when the dark-haired woman screamed at her. There was a particularly wild look in Raven's eyes that she found to be quite uncomfortably aimed in her general direction.

Still, it was quite annoying to have a woman that she hasn't seen in well over a decade suddenly swoop in and start questioning her in her _own household! _

"That's what happened." she continued, hesitantly. She knew that the subject of authority figures was something of a touchy subject for the woman. "He actually seemed rather surprised. But I guess it's not everyday that a woman presumed to be dead suddenly helps her daughter stop a White Fang thievery, huh?"

Raven paced around her, eyeing her critically.

"...And what did you tell him?"

She sighed heavily. All of smoke and daggers nonsense couldn't be good for her old friend's blood-sugar levels. What did Raven _think_ she'd said?

"What was there to tell? I stopped the crime and talked with my daughter, Raven." she answered, putting her hands on her hips. "What's all of this matter to you, anyways? You left a long time ago. Can't you just be happy to see me? Can't this just be a simple catch up between old friends? It's been _so long_, Rae. Can you please just dispense with all of this sleuthing for the moment and come in for a cup of tea?"

Raven sighed heavily, though there was a trace of a smile on her face. "You _know_ I hate tea."

"_Whatever_." Summer waved a hand. Truth be told, she _hadn't_ known that about the woman. Either she'd simply forgotten it over time, or it was just one of the supposed many memories that were seemingly missing from her mind.

"Can you just tell me one thing, before we go in?"

She blinked at the sudden request, but smiled nonetheless. "Of course."

If it would get them out of this damn cold she wouldn't mind in the slightest. She had already spent far too long out here to be healthy; animated doll body or not.

Plus she might be feeling a bit peckish. Okay, a lot peckish. Hopefully Tai still stocked those cookies that she always liked, or else she was going to be having serious words with her beloved husband.

"What did you tell him about what happened with Salem? You know the moment that she learns that you're alive she's going to be coming for you._" _

"...Who?" she cocked her head in confusion and attempted to refocus back on the conversation, wondering who in the world that Raven was talking about. The name certainly didn't _sound_ familiar. If anything, it sounded more like the name of a road or something-

_A flash of steel was all she saw, before her head was separated from her shoulders._

* * *

**A/N: **  
Another one!  
Writing emotional scenes is quite entertaining, but it can be quite difficult to find the appropriate words sometimes.

Be sure to let me know what you all think of the recent developments!~


	17. Chapter 17

"...So. That was a thing." Blake deadpanned, breathing heavily. Her face was flushed and there was an odd black material that was coating the side of her shirt that she was trying and failing to rub off despite all efforts.

_Soot. _Ruby realised belatedly, grimacing at the sight. _The one time that she wears white and she immediately gets covered in soot. Just not her day, huh?_

Team RWBY had just managed to _finally_ reconverge following their singular assignments at Blake's prompting after their faunus teammate had managed to not only successfully infiltrate the White Fang rally with Sun Wukong in tow but discover that for some crazy reason Roman Torchwick seemingly had access to Atlesian-grade military technology.

Okay. Simply put the man had a giant mech and was, apparently, well trained in using it in a spur-of-the-moment chase that had ended up forcing the entire Beacon team to work together to take him down.

Following Weiss' explanation, it was clear that this was most certainly one of their newer Atlesian Paladin models that weren't even ready for deployment as of yet. How in the world a criminal like Roman Torchwick had gained access to one was anyone's guess. Either he'd somehow managed to steal a shipment himself or he had backers with access to prototype Atlesian technology.

Their self-imposed investigation had just became a lot more complex.

Worse still was that he had clearly planned to use it in coordination with some White Fang plot for an unknown purpose. Regardless it had been doubtful he had planned to use it for a 'peaceful protest' considering the sheer firepower of the thing. Whilst they had foiled that particular plan, there was the distinct possibility that Torchwick had access to more than just one of the massive death machines.

Thus, _so did the White Fang. _

It was freaking horrifying and, quite frankly, they were wondering just how far down this rabbit hole went. All that their investigation had yielded so far was more questions.

"...Who the hell even _was_ that pint-sized bubblegum girl, anyway?" Yang grumbled. She'd been agitated ever since Torchwick had managed to get away following the 'bubblegum girl' interrupting the fight. "...She didn't even flinch against my shots. And who even fights with an _umbrella_, anyway?"

"Her weapon, if you can even _call_ it that, was likely reinforced with a carbon-base of some kind. Durable and light. It would work." Weiss responded, huffing in disdain at the mere memory of the woman. "Either that or any number of metals. There's a fair few that are resistant to dust shots. Or she may have coated the weapon in a sufficient amount of aura. The rest can be attributed to her semblance. Illusions, most likely."

"_Not. Helping. Weiss._" the brawler ground out, earning a huff from the heiress.

Ruby blinked and went to list exactly _which_ materials and metal alloys she knew of that were capable of defending against a small volley of dust (twelve that were found within the local area thank you very much) only to realise that it wasn't the time for it if Yang's still-red eyes were any indication. Plus her team got kinda uncomfortable whenever she spoke about weapons for too long.

Oum she was missing Kira right now. The doll would have been fascinated by her knowledge and may have even rewarded her with a kiss. On the lips, possibly. Oum-knows she needed that right now.

After receiving Blake's distress call, she had been forced to abandon the doll and run off in a burst of semblance-powered speed to where Kira had suggested they may be. The downtrodden expression she had seen flash on the doll's face had been heartbreaking- but she had a duty to her team first and foremost.

And to Sun and Neptune, who had somehow managed to tag along on all this super team stuff.

Though she had been a little curious as to how exactly Kirakishou had managed to guess the exact location of her teammates, but it was likely just some extrasensory boost from being an artificial being. The girl probably had like, super-senses, or something. It would certainly explain a few things. Either that or she was just _really_ lucky with guessing.

"Regardless," she said to both her team and herself to refocus the conversation back on the central topic, "now that we're all relatively safe and away from criminals and stolen technology, it's probably best if we go over everything. Did the rest of you find out anything helpful about what's going on?"

Suffice to say, the knowledge that _Penny Polendina is General Ironwood's niece_ wasn't something that she had decided to mention to her team. First of all she had promised the girl that she wouldn't tell anybody and whilst she didn't exactly have that much attachment to the girl who fascinated her doll- she didn't want to draw any undue attention towards her.

Second of all because she _really_ just wanted to get this conversation over with and start planning on where she'd be taking Kirakishou for their date, whilst also trying to figure out a way to hide it all from her teammates and-

Well. She had a lot on her plate right now. All of this mess with Roman Torchwick, the White Fang and the Atlesian military of all things wasn't something that she had been expecting to deal with amidst mid-semester tests and the upcoming Vytal festival.

And cute dolls with yummy, cold lips that she most certainly wouldn't mind pressed up against her at the moment. Especially if Kira was cute outfit that she wore today. Or perhaps her nighttime attire. She certainly wouldn't mind-

_Damn it! Not again! _

Thankfully, the rest of her team hadn't noticed her reddening face or, if they did, at least chose not to comment on it.

She just hoped that Blake wouldn't be able to… _smell_ her body's reaction to such thoughts. She hadn't discovered if such a thing was even possible or not and she was far too scared to research it on her scroll. If someone discovered her search history then Ruby doubted if she'd be able to show her face in Beacon Academy ever again!

"Well…" Yang began, scratching the back of her head, "Neptune and I went to see an old friend and see if we could get some information, but he didn't have anything on Torchwick. Didn't think to ask about the White Fang, but I doubt there would be anything. The general vibe is that nothing suspicious has happened in ages around there. Seemed pretty dull, actually."

Ruby had been meaning to ask Yang about her 'friend on the shady side of town' that she had mentioned during their planning phase, but had thought better at the last second. There were things about her sister that she did _not_ want to know. For all she knew they had visited a lingerie store or something like that. It would certainly fit with her big sister's interests.

_...But why would Torchwick be sighted at a place like that? Maybe it was one of his henchmen? Or henchwomen? Like the bubblegum girl with the umbrella? _

_Nah. That's stupid. It has to be somewhere else. _

_...Hmm. I wonder if Kira would like-_

"Ah, that's right." Weiss spoke up, thankfully interrupting her thoughts before they could devolve into more inappropriate musings, "You were partnered with Neptune for this particular dalliance, weren't you? How exactly did he perform?"

_The fabled Ice Queen, interested about something like that? No, no. That can't be right. _

_Right. I almost forgot. She has a bit of a crush on Neptune, doesn't she? A 'passing fancy' as she called it before- which probably just translates to a crush in heiress-speak. Wonder why she's interested in him, though. Didn't he have just some measly trident-lightgun or something? Plus he also did the whole 'deer-in-the-headlights' thing that guys do when they get close to Yang for the first time._

_Bold move to ask Yang about something like that, though. It's a wonder she hasn't caught on. Though I guess she is a bit distracted right now. Torchwick's henchwoman really got on her nerves for some reason._

"Oh?" Yang responded, blinking rapidly before pausing and shrugging. "Eh. He was okay, I guess. I don't think he likes my bike that much, though. Was holding on like his life depended on it. Either that or he was just acting like that to cop a feel- eh, I mean, _hug_. Sorry Rubes."

Ruby simply rolled her eyes, long since used to the routine of her sister trying to censor every little bit of 'juicy' details in her presence when she was feeling particularly self-conscious. Honestly, it wasn't even that bad of a thing.

The heiress faltered in her stride, "I-Is that so? Although, you do sound rather uncertain, if I may be so bold. It may just have been just a fear of your driving capabilities with… what did you call it, Buzzbee?"

"_Bumblebee. _Nice try, though." Yang corrected with a grin of amusement that morphed into a playful frown. "And hey! No dissing my driving style, Weiss-cream~ I'll have you know that I'm one of the fastest riders out there. I'm certain that by the end of the trip Neptune was certainly feeling his _appreciation _for my skills_, _if you know what I mean." Weiss blushed at the description as Yang wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

It was truly baffling how sister could believe she wouldn't notice such blatant innuendo.

"Eugh. Remind me to catch, well, _literally anything else_ the next time I'm forced to go out somewhere. In fact, I think I'll just jump the rooftops the next time I'm out. It has to be better than… _that._" Blake responded dryly as the rest of the team laughed at the blonde's expense.

_Yang actually is a pretty good rider. When dad wasn't around to notice, she'd take me out for rides across the farmland... Gosh. It's been so long since we did that. She was always really safety-conscious and never went too fast, but she still made it really fun and would point out a lot of different interesting things. I'd always laugh whenever she hit a bump and we got airborne for a moment. I used to think we were flying._

"Besides-" Yang continued as if she hadn't heard Blake's teasing, "I guess I kinda felt bad for the poor sap in the end. I mean, he strikes out against a couple of twins, attempts to fight a giant mech in the middle of the highway and gets thrown off the road for his troubles. Doubt that was what he signed up for when he offered to help."

"...Twins, huh."

Weiss gripped the hilt of her weapon, myrtenaster, tightly as she visibly shook and muttered a few choice words under her breath even as Yang shot her an apologetic look. The team wisely opted to stay quiet and let the girl have her moment.

It was clear that whatever _interest_ that she had developed for the blue-haired member of SSSN had been inadvertently crushed by her big sister.

"Sooooo, what happened on your end, Blake?" Ruby bravely ventured forward, finding herself curious as to how sneaking into a White Fang rally could result in a giant mech fight below a highway.

Blake sighed. "Sun and I were successfully able to infiltrate the White Fang meetup. They have a great many new recruits from the Vale area and a sizeable force of trained soldiers that were overseeing the meeting."

_Shoot. That can't be good. I knew the situation was bad but if they're recruiting more people from Vale then tensions around here are going to skyrocket. With the upcoming Vytal festival bringing in more tourists it's going to be even worse. Might even attract extra grimm with all the negativity about. _

From what she could remember, Mantle and Atlas city had been the subject of a popular report which noted a substantial increase in the grimm population following the rising of Atlas and the White Fang revolution. There had been news reports and everything about it for years until suddenly everyone stopped talking about it.

"Was that that Torchwick guy was there?" Yang asked, shooting a significant look her way.

"He was." Blake confirmed, looking uncomfortable at all the attention she was getting. "Seemed like they were introducing him as a 'guest' of theirs. They were planning on rerouting a lot of members to an operation in the south-east."

"The south-east?" Weiss interrupted, looking perturbed. "Assuming he means south-east from Vale, there's nothing out there except ruins. The largest of which being-"

"Mountain Glenn." Ruby finished lowly. It had been a previous attempt of Vale to expand beyond its natural borders and utilise various methods of transportation to move people across the continent and away from the grimm's claws.

She did _not_ think that all her studying would be paying off so quickly.

Blake nodded, frowning thoughtfully at the idea. "It _would_ make a good area for a hideout. Nobody goes there, not with all the grimm around. But if they're armed with prototype Atlas weaponry then they wouldn't have much difficulty eradicating a good portion of the grimm population."

"...Wouldn't their negativity just bring _more_ grimm?" Weiss reasoned, rolling her eyes. "Seems like a rather foolish plan."

"And then they'd just roll out the big guns again and kill them off." Yang added on, "Provided that they have enough ammunition they could just keep it going. On and on."

There was a distinct moment where the group paused as several things fell into place.

"Huh." Ruby muttered. "Guess we figured out what they're doing with all the dust that they're stealing. It's being used for ammunition to stave off the grimm."

That still didn't answer the question of what the were even _doing_ out there. _Why in the world would the White Fang need to clear out such a huge area? What are they planning over at Mountain Glenn? Provided that is the right place, of course._

_More and more questions, _Ruby groused inwardly, _never enough answers. _

"...Impressive work." Weiss spoke up, glancing at Blake. "Personally, I was a tad worried at the prospect of sending you so deep into the arms of your… ahem, former compatriots?" she paused, grimacing at the dirty look that the feline faunus sent her way. "Apologies for the terminology; I meant no offence. Anyway, regardless of my concerns you successfully infiltrated the rally and gathered a sizeable amount of intelligence. With _Sun Wukong _of all people acting as a backup. He doesn't strike me as the most… discrete of people."

_Wasn't he the one who was able to overhear our entire plan? _Ruby thought incredulously. _Seems pretty sneaky to me. _

A tentative smile wormed its way onto Blake's face. "He was fine." she stated, before her ears noticeably flattened behind her bow as she glanced away from the heiress. "...And thank you for the compliment."

Weiss smiled warmly in response. It was such a rare occurrence that Ruby halfheartedly considered bringing out her scroll to take a picture, but figured it would ruin the moment.

After the fiasco with the docks and them finding out Blake's heritage, Weiss had become noticeably friendlier to their dark-haired faunus teammate seemingly overnight. Ruby and Yang had originally just assumed it to be the heiress' own way of apologising for how she acted, but it was becoming clear that her demeanour was actually genuine.

Blake was even _reciprocating_, too! It was a massive change from the thinly-veiled barbs that she would send back before the Beacon orientation into the Emerald Forest.

It was _soooo _adorable! Ruby thought she might swoon. Her team was building close bonds and growing stronger together. She would totally be telling mom about this the second she had the chance to call her.

"...Right. So." Yang continued, "That's all well and good, but how did things go on your end, Weiss? Weren't you and Ruby going to see if there was any information in the Schnee database about recent White Fang activity?"

Weiss groaned in remembrance even as Ruby tried not to fidget as memories of her previous encounter before the fight with Torchwick came rapidly flooding back into her thoughts. Perhaps she had been a little hasty in revealing her feelings for Kirakishou to Weiss. But she was just so _happy_ to have someone to talk too about all this stuff.

She had kinda been hoping that if Weiss got with Neptune then they could join her and Kira on a double date of sorts. But now those plans had been crushed because apparently Neptune was just a big flirt or something.

_I wish that Sun had just listened when I said not to get friends involved. Now look what's happened._

"It was an acceptable outing, I suppose." the heiress stated, pausing as if to choose her words carefully. "Ruby was, naturally, rather overjoyed to see the Transmit Tower and I was all too happy to provide some useful information in the subject."

Her big sister rolled her eyes. "I bet Rubes _loooved _that." she stated sarcastically.

Weiss put her hands on her hips, clearly annoyed by the tone. In fact, she was a little offended herself. She thought that she had handled herself pretty well as a team leader, even if she had inadvertently dragged Kirakishou along for the ride with her.

_Oh crap! I sure hope Weiss doesn't mention that part. Oum. Yang would freak._

"I will have you know, Yang Xiao Long, that your sister was _most_ interested in my knowledge and was in-fact quite knowledgeable in her own right about the subject as a whole. She was aware of the Atlas Transmit Tower's history as the first cross-continental tower ever built and complimented my studious nature." Weiss shot her a proud smile. "She has come a long way in her studies."

Blake shot her a look, even as Ruby blushed in embarrassment.

"Huh. My sister the nerd. Didn't see that coming." Yang said playfully, grabbing her by the arm and ruffling her hair good-naturedly. Ruby shoved herself off with a glare and went to fix her hair whilst the brawler merely smiled at the interaction. "What happened after that?"

"Well," the Schnee continued, "We were forced to separate after Ruby and I chanced upon Penny an-" Ruby shot her a dark look promising pain and pranks if she continued where she thought the girl was going. The poor heiress paled considerably at the sight. "_A-Anyways_, whilst Ruby likely interrogated the girl I was left to peruse the Schnee records myself. It will take some time to sort through all the files, but I should have something in a couple days."

"A couple days?" Blake chorused, looking bewildered. "There's really _that_ many files on the White Fang?"

Weiss sighed in a very unladylike manner, slumping noticeably and glancing up at the sky. "Oh, like you wouldn't believe. Father is very… _meticulous _in his desire to prevent any financial concerns arising due to White Fang influence. Dust shipments, mines and the like."

_The less said about a man who labels terrorists as 'financial concerns' the better_. Ruby thought with some degree of concern. _I can only imagine growing up with a man that… what's the word… megalomaniacal? Eh. Sounds right. Poor Weiss..._

"...That's one way of putting it." Blake frowned, offering the girl a sympathetic pat to the shoulder when Weiss looked down.

Yang eyed the two weirdly, before glancing over in her direction.

"Right. So. What happened with Penny? I was wondering what happened to her, anyways. Haven't heard of her since she was apparently part of the fight at the docks."

_Ah. That's right. Yang never really saw what happened at the docks, did she? She only got the aftermath. I think mom said that she'd talked to her or something before heading to Patch, but I can't remember how it went._

_Ya'know, come to think of it Yang hasn't really spoke about mom that much. Or at all, really. I hope she's okay. Oh gods, I might even have to talk to her about it. That's going to be fun. _

"Er-" she paused when she realised she hadn't spoken up, "Well. Penny was… alright, I guess."

There was a brief moment of silence between the girls, only broken by the sounds of traffic in the distance.

"She was _alright_." Blake deadpanned. "The girl was carving up bullheads with lasers she shot out of swords. I thought _you_ of all people would be interested in-"

"_I was, alright_." Ruby flushed embarrassingly, belatedly realising that she hadn't talked to Penny about her weapons whatsoever; which was quite out-of-character for her. "There was just a lot of other things that we had to talk about. Her family is apparently really protective of her. They were concerned."

Considering the fact that _General Ironwood was her Uncle_, the man had a right to be concerned that his niece was fighting bad guys just a few weeks after arriving in Vale.

Weiss gave a slow nod. "Understandable, given the situation. Did she have anything else to add to our investigation?"

Ruby shook her head sadly.

Whilst there was the real possibility that she might be able to get Penny to help out by using her connection to Ironwood, she didn't really want to get the girl involved. Both for security reasons and… maybe a little personal vendetta.

The memory of Kirakishou excitedly chatting with Penny flashed through her thoughts and she frowned.

"...So what happened after that?" Weiss inquired. "You were gone a long time. Admittedly, I was on my way to find you before Blake called."

"W-Well. Nothing really. I just hung out and waited for everyone to finish, I guess."

Yang blinked at her, before narrowing her eyes. "Hung out?"

The younger rose just rolled her eyes. "Yes, Yang. That's what people do when they have free time and want to see the sights." she sighed.

Yang huffed. "Don't give me that tone, missy. I'm just asking."

"_Riiight._ Penny had to leave for, er, personal reasons." she explained, not wanting to explain that she had left to report to the General about things. "Anyway, after that Kira and I went to-"

She gasped suddenly and put her hands to her lips in a vain effort to stop the words from flooding out, but it was far too late.

"...Kira? Wait, you mean- _Ruby!_" Yang admonished, "Did you really interrupt a mission that _you yourself planned_ in order to hang out with that girl?"

_No no no. I didn't mean to say it that way! Damn it!_

"Oh, come on! It wasn't my fault!" she cried back, rapidly growing frustrated at the _disappointment_ she could hear in her big sister's tone. "She just happened to find Weiss and I down near the communications tower. I couldn't just say _no_ to her."

"Oh yes, I'm sure. But you could certainly try and hide it from us. That's perfectly fine in your books, huh?" Yang rolled her eyes. "She probably followed you, you know. A girl like that would certainly go for it. Hiding around corners-"

"Stop it!" she yelled, tears in her eyes.

Ruby felt her fingernails digging into her palms. The Rozen Maiden ring nestled on her left hand was stinging against her skin. She was also discretely aware that she was gritting her teeth, too. Everybody had their limits and despite her big sister likely having good intentions, Yang's prodding was pushing her too far.

_Why is it always like this? Everywhere I go and everybody I talk to. They always get the Yang treatment. Fail her 'assessment' and nope! Off you go. She's barely even spoken to Kira and of course she immediately thinks the girl's bad news. _

_It's SO FREAKING ANNOYING. _

_Damn it all. If I have to hear one more stupid comment about my girlfriend I'm going to lose my freaking marbles. _

"Yang, _please._ Just let it go." she grated out, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm her raging emotions. "I am _not_ in the mood to discuss this with you again. I can hang out with whoever I want. I don't need to hear your constant remarks about her. _No_ I didn't go out of my way to find her and _yes_ I understand that this is a mission for the team. Kirakishou just happened to be there. _Okay?_"

Oum how she hated the look that Weiss was sending her right now.

_Pity. Fear. Worry. _

Why did everyone always have to make things so difficult for her? Couldn't they just _stop? _All of her life she had lived seeing those looks aimed at her by her big sister as she fired of question after question asking about her _wellbeing_. She was so very tired of it.

"I just don't get why you feel the need to play doctor with her all the time, Ruby. She's not your responsibility or anything, she's just some-"

"She _is_ my responsibility!" the young reaper finally snapped, stopping in her tracks as she whirled around and scowled frustratingly at her sister. "_I _was the one who promised to be there for her. Through everything. I'm not going to just ditch her because she talks weird just because my know-it-all big sister thinks it's best."

"_Know-it-all?!_" Yang repeated incredulously, "Where's all this coming from, Rubes?"

The silver-eyed huntress rolled her eyes. "You _know_ where it's coming from, Yang. All my life you just go _on and on_ about how 'big sister knows best' and 'don't bother with them' and 'stay away from that'. You're _always_ babying me and I'm so freaking sick of it. You don't know a damn thing about Kira and you think _you _of all peoplehave the authority to judge her?"

"Oh and _you _do?" the blonde retorted. "You've known her for, what, a few weeks now? She's not yours to fix, regardless of whatever little pledge you made to her."

"I know enough to want to help her. Regardless, it's certainly more than what you know. You've spoken to her, what, once or twice? That's hardly enough to get a good read on someone."

"It's pretty easy to figure out if someone has a few screws loose, Rubes." Yang rebuked with an exaggerated eye-roll. "You're just too wide-eyed and too trusting to see it. If you let her, she'll pull you down to her level and leave you heartbroken. I'm just trying to look out for your wellbeing."

"You don't know her. She's not going to hurt me." Ruby asserted firmly. "She's _lonely_, Yang. That's all. You've no idea what she's been through. Yes, it's clearly affected her but in the end she's still lonely no matter what spin you put on the matter. So what if she likes me? I like her back! I really _really_ do. Are you really that self-centred to deny the girl a chance to finally have a friend just because she wants to talk with your _little sister? _If so, maybe _you're_ the one with a few screws loose._"_

Ruby zipped away in a sudden burst of rose petals, tears in her eyes.

"Don't you think that was a bit much, Yang? She's clearly been trying her best." Weiss spoke up, crossing her arms.

"Look. You don't get it, guys." Yang responded defensively following the sour look that Weiss was sending her way, "Ruby never would have snapped at me like that, not until she started hanging out with Kira. She's clearly not a good match for my sister. All she does is emphasise Ruby's worst traits."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Don't be so obtuse. She's _happy _with her, Yang. What exactly is the problem if she's spending time with Kira? It's not like she's acquainting with the likes of Cardin Winchester or something. It's a simple passing fancy- nothing more, nothing less."

The blonde brawler shook her head. "It's not the same. There's something different going on- I can feel it. Ruby would _never_ act like that to me, even in the middle of an argument. Sure we'd exchange few barbs here and there, but that was all sisterly love stuff. She'd come around in the end. This is something else entirely."

"Come on, Yang. I'm sure it's not that bad." Blake responded, frowning. "I mean, whilst I can probably speak for all of us in saying that I'm surprised that Ruby lashed out like that, I can understand her motivations. In her eyes, you're not even giving the poor girl a chance. Yes, Ruby hasn't know her that long but _none of us have_. What right do we to have to judge them?"

"...I just feel like she's making a bad decision. That she's rushing things. Oum, she just had a _sleepover_ with her. Ruby never even let people come back to the old house before this. She was terrified of catching _cooties_. Now she's suddenly comfortable enough to sleep in random rooms? Nah. Something's happening."

"From what Ruby said, that wasn't entirely her planning. She woke up early and passed out when talking with Kirakishou. All the blonde did was take her back to her own room. It's not like Ruby went straight there and begged to sleep with her." Blake responded, before flushing slightly and immediately adding "I-I mean, sleep as in go to bed."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "What Blake is _trying_ to say is that it's just a few odd circumstances. Chance encounters, really. Nothing to be concerned about. You shouldn't jump to conclusions about her. None of us should."

Yang went to bark back a reply, only to slump as exhaustion rippled through her. This whole argument had been rubbing her the wrong way. It was the longest time the two girls had stayed mad at eachother; barring the time after Summer's death.

Honestly she just didn't want her baby sister to be mad at her anymore.

"…I guess you guys have a point." she sighed. "I just don't like it."

"Yes. Of course we do." Blake smirked triumphantly. It looked rather out of place on the normally reclusive member of team RWBY. If anything, she would have expected such an expression on the Schnee heiress. "Besides, you're her elder sister. It's natural to feel a bit protective over her."

"Right. Um." Yang scratched her arm nervously, looking off into the distance where Ruby had sped away. "She's probably heading back to Beacon. I should probably go and, um, apologise to her. Sorry you guys had to hear that."

"As well you should be." Weiss stated with a curt nod. "But, we understand. Just, please, _make things right_."

"I will."

* * *

"Would you like to grab a cup of tea together?" Weiss asked suddenly.

Blake blinked as she tore her gaze away from the retreating form of her blonde team member to refocus on the Schnee heiress, "_Tea?_" she blurted out incredulously. "You prefer coffee. I don't need your memories to know that. It's practically all you drink."

The heiress rolled her eyes at the jab. "...Perhaps I'm developing a certain… _affection_ for tea, so to speak. Regardless, are you interested or not?" she pressed insistently. "I'm not entirely sure if you've realised, but we do have _quite _the amount of coursework to cover following our recent bouts with the White Fang and thieves piloting stolen pieces of Atlas machinery."

Blake didn't know exactly _why_ she did it, but there was something about the gaze she was receiving from Weiss that made her avert her eyes and blush, ever so slightly.

"...Maybe just a single cup."

The beautiful smile she received from her answer only served to exacerbate the heat in her cheeks.

* * *

The halls of Beacon Academy were surprisingly sparse, considering it was typically around this time when most students would be returning back to their dorm rooms. But Ruby didn't mind the silence. It made everything just that little bit easier to handle. She didn't want anybody to see her in the sorry state that she was in.

Nobody except her.

Nobody except her.

Nobody except her.

_**THORNSTHORNSTHORNS-**_

"...Ruby."

"_Kirakishou..._" Ruby breathed, staring longingly at the doll standing at the entrance to her dorm room. "...Can I come in? Please? I-We… need to talk."

Originally, Ruby had been planning to simply return to her own room and hopefully get an early rest to put this horrible day behind her once and for all, but she had evidently found herself knocking on the blonde doll's door before she even realised what was happening.

For her part, the doll merely took one look at her ragged form and tear-stained cheeks before wordlessly relenting and allowing her to pass through unhindered.

Kirakishou was still wearing the same outfit that she'd had on during their outing today, although whatever _illusion_ that had been protecting her ball-jointed features from showing had evidently worn off and allowed Ruby to view the doll in all her glory. Ball-joints that were once seamlessly hidden behind stockings now stood readily apparent along with skin that appeared several shades beyond normal.

Logistically speaking, she shouldn't have taken such pleasure in seeing the artificial parts with her own eyes as she did. Ruby knew she was a bit weird, but such things didn't impede her in the slightest. With Kirakishou she was free to explore all her feelings.

The room itself appeared roughly about the same as before. Perhaps a bit messier than what she remembered. There was a large ornate standing mirror in the corner, propped up against a wall and trimmed with an older gold filigree that had clearly seen better days.

_...Neat. _

Suffice to say, Ruby hadn't come to Kirakishou room just to inspect the doll's vague attempts to furnish her dorm room.

Upon hearing the _click _of the door closing behind her, Ruby wasted no time in flourishing forward with a sudden burst of her semblance and forcing the doll to collapse backwards onto the bed with a startled gasp. Frantically she moved, pinning the girl underneath her and forcefully clutching her wrists to prevent any movement.

Her eyes were stinging again.

"_Promise that you'll never leave me."_

The voice that came out of her lips sounded odd. There was an accent there that she didn't recognise and her words didn't match up with what she was saying. Ruby found herself uncaring about such things. Kirakishou would understand regardless.

She had to.

"_I promise."_

The language that Kirakishou spoke was not one that she should have understood as easily as she did. It had been the same one that she had just spoken. That, like everything else _weird _or _odd_ involving her doll was ignored with a practised ease.

All that mattered to Ruby in the end was that Kirakishou was _**hers**_ and _**hers alone**_.

Nobody could get in her way, for nobody else mattered. Not when others could turn on her in a heartbeat all because she'd had the oum-damned common decency to say hello to the girl she was crushing on when she was nearby..!-

Amidst her glassy eyes, blurred as they were, she took a moment to admire the doll she held beneath her. That lone slit amber eye, staring back at her. Focused and unmoving as it drank in her appearance. _Yes. More._ This was what she wanted. What she desired.

"_Promise me that you'll never hurt me." _

She ground herself against the doll, earning a keening whimper from her partner as Ruby felt the stocking-clad legs wrap themselves around her back and pull her closer. Her eyes were drawn to Kira's not-short-enough plaid skirt as it hiked up ever so slightly.

When the doll did not speak at first, Ruby increased the pressure and leant forward to plant a series of kisses on her cheek, tantalisingly close to her lips to the point where the doll tried to tilt her head to the side and meet her lips with her own.

Ruby pulled away with a teasing expression, biting her bottom lip and waiting for-

She had no idea what she was doing, or why she was doing it in such a raunchy manner. This was so utterly out of character for her...

_Why-_

But she _needed _to hear it from Kirakishou's lips. She needed it so damn much. Damn the consequences. For too long, she had spent her life just _hoping_ that somebody would always be there to protect her.

Sometimes in a girl's life, there came a time where one needed to take what they wanted for themselves. Yang couldn't stop her. Nobody could stop her, not when she wanted something. She would accomplish every challenge, tear down every obstacle.

Just to hear those words...

"_I-I... I promise..." _

"_Of course I promise, little Rubes!" her big sister said enthusiastically, a shining grin on her face as they made their pinky promise stood near Summer's newly mounted gravestone. "We'll be together forever and ever! No matter what. We sisters have got to stick together, yeah?"_

"_Y-Yeah..."_

She all but collapsed atop the doll upon hearing the whispered phrase, a phrase that she had craved to hear. Throughout all of her life, Ruby had possessed but a single confidant to speak of her worries and fears; Yang Xiao Long. Her sister. Without Yang, she would have lost herself to her despair.

But her elder sister was _not_ perfect.

Nor would she ever be a _role model._

Not anymore.

That could not change, however, the fact that Yang was her sister. She loved her. They were _family._

She was sobbing, she realised. Crying stupid fat tears into Kirakishou's beautiful outfit. Ruby knew that she had completely ruined whatever intimacy she had been pushing towards, even if it hadn't been her intention. But the doll had not complained at the sight of her sudden tears. All she had done was relax her grip and rub her back just hard enough where Ruby could only barely feel the sensation.

Just like how mom would do it.

Nothing but simple repetitive motions, really.

To a girl like her, they meant the world.

She hoped that one day she would be able to eventually move past this _stupid_ childishness and become strong like mom. Deep down, Ruby knew that she couldn't do it alone. To move forward in life, she needed people she could trust. People she could rely on.

Or maybe she just needed a single doll to hold her heart. Everybody else could burn for all she cared, if they were going to turn on her so quickly like Yang.

"What _happened, _Ruby? Why do you cry?" Kirakishou softly wiped the tears away with her jointed fingers, "...Was it because you're nervous for our date?"

W-Wha...-

The idea was so stupid it startled a burbled, wet laugh from her. All of this and she hadn't even had time to think about the date that much beyond a few passing ideas, let alone actually get _nervous_ about it.

"N-No..." she answered, shaking her head in bemusement. She didn't even know if she was smiling or frowning anymore. "Just... stupid family stuff. But, please. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Please just hold me like this. Just a little longer."

Kirakishou's arms tightened considerably in hers as she continued to cry and wail and fruitlessly try and shut herself away from the world.

"When you are ready to talk, I'll be here. We shall deal with your family together."

She attempted a smile even as her eyes drooped. Nestled in the arms of the woman she cared for, she could feel the exhaustion of the day's events finally beginning to catch up with her. It had been a busy, jumbled mess of a day and she was glad that it was finally coming to a close.

"_...That's all I could ever ask for..."_

* * *

**A/N:  
**Done. Finally done. Work IRL has picked up significantly and limited my time to write. But I will not let that be stopping me.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter is an actual fight scene.

Until next time. Be sure to leave a review of what you thought about this chapter and the story so far. I look forward to posting again!


	18. Chapter 18

"...That's impossible. Why is she moving so damn _fast?_ I can barely follow her with my eyes."

Weiss glanced at her leader's older sister from the corner of her sight. Encountering a girl who typically appeared quite courageous and overconfident instead acting visibly _worried_ and _speculative_ was quite the vexing display- but after everything that had recently occurred following the two sisters, she shouldn't have been surprised.

The Belladonna girl, her valued teammate whom lay seated beside her, clearly was also rather perturbed at Yang's behaviour.

After the incident with Yang and Ruby's argument following the attack on Torchwick, Yang had searched up and down for the little reaper and hadn't been able to find her. They were about to all go searching when Ruby had shown up roughly around eleven at night and apologised for her outburst.

From her understanding of their rather emotional reunion, the two sisters had patched things up and were on rather cordial terms. Thus, Yang's sudden disbelief was made all the more befuddling.

"You're joking, right?" Blake retorted, "This is _Ruby _that we're talking about. Her semblance is practically neigh untraceable once she gets going. Shouldn't you be used to all of this by now?"

Despite her conscious urging her to console her teammate or in the very least add to the ongoing commentating in some manner, the little Schnee heiress could not find it within herself to tear her gaze away from the spectacle.

"...It's not the same." Yang shakes her head rapidly in what Weiss can assume is a mounting frustration, her blonde locks going everywhere. "Think about it. _Really_ think about it. Have you ever really seen Ruby go this fast before?"

No. She certainly has not. Although, Weiss chalked such a thing up to a lack of exposure to the girl's particular fighting style.

"Exactly." Yang said amidst their mutual silence. "It's not because she can't. That's for sure. It's because it becomes far too difficult for her to handle consistently. The faster Ruby gets with her semblance, the harder it is for her to process what's happening. The fact is, I'm amazed she hasn't injured herself yet. Last time she went this fast, she ended up crashing into a concrete wall and breaking several bones from the impact. Dad was pissed."

So in other words Ruby had speed and velocity to match, yet without an improved sensory awareness necessary to use them efficiently. What a very curious semblance. Although she could not deny that the ability was suitable for her team leader. Always rushing ahead. The question still remained; why in the world was Ruby bothering to act so dangerously in a simple sparring match?

To think that all of this had begun with Kirakishou simply raising her hand.

Madness. That's all it was. Complete and utter madness.

Originally the lesson with Glynda Goodwitch had been nought but a simple lesson with the added bonus of several students from other academies also spectating. They had gone over the events that would be occurring during the upcoming Vytal Festival and what would be expected of them during the live broadcast.

Dances of all kinds, multiple parades and the world-renowned combat tournament would all be broadcast to the various cultures of the world. Students were expected to participate in them all, to varying degrees. It was a celebration of individualism and creativity following the horrors inflicted during the Great War some eighty years ago. Without a doubt, it was one of the largest festivals to ever grace the world of Remnant and it showcased all that the variety of cultures had to offer.

This year, Vale had been selected to his this most prestigious festival. It was a monumental undertaking that the city had been dutifully preparing to host for the past several months.

Naturally, most of the students were primarily obsessed with the combat tournament. Whilst she was rather privy to the dances herself, the rest of her team had been quite excited for the event. Even the typically reserved Blake Belladonna, whom had spoke of her interest within the tourney quite comprehensively during their outing together.

The first stage, as Weiss had come to understand during this class, was assessing each and every student to test their aptitude for the combat tournament. Primarily it was done to ensure that every team was ready to participate in a tournament scenario, yet Weiss assumed it was likely also a test of some sort to assess the combat abilities of students from other academies.

Thus had begun a painstakingly long routine of assessing _each and every student_ by pitting them up against each other in numerous one-on-one matches.

_Every. Damn. Student. _

Considering the sheer population of Beacon first years and the number of first year external students whom had arrived to participate, Weiss had doubted that even an extended period for this particular class would even be enough time to process them all in one lesson.

Professor Goodwitch offered quite the valiant attempt, however. Among all her professors of this year, she would say that the deputy headmistress was likely her favourite professor. The woman was curt and concise in ways that would have her old tutors running for the heavens. It was a refreshing change of pace. If anyone _could_ efficiently process such a large amount of students, it would be this woman.

Originally the class had been of high morale and many were rather eager to begin competing. However, moods had quickly soured once they discovered just how many would need to be processed. They were nearing the end only after their third hour of constant matches. Many students had grown restless quite some time ago.

Likely, most students had been rather surprised upon hearing Mercury Black challenge Pyrrha Nikos to a spar, not only in direct violation of Professor Goodwitch's own selection method, but directly after the 'Invincible Woman' had finished soundly decimating Team CRDL.

The smirk had been wiped completely off his face when the irate deputy headmistress had not only rebuked his request in a clipped tone that would bring even her Father the shame, but had opened the request to _any other student_ whom wished to challenge Mercury.

Suffice to say, none had expected _Kirakishou_ of all people to raise her hand considering the girl had been marked exempt from the testing.

The girl was, to her knowledge, little more of a guest to Beacon Academy than an actual student and possessed no team to call her own. Thus, she was unable to compete in the Vytal Tournament whatsoever. Following what rumours had sprung up after Ruby's failed attempt to get the girl to communicate with other students, most had opted to simply ignore the girl and pretend she didn't exist.

Such plans to ignore her had readily fallen apart when the girl in question had invariably stolen centre stage by way of her sudden proposition.

Ruby had been rather opposed to the idea, standing up and boldly declaring that she wanted to fight by Kirakishou's side in a team match. Whilst Weiss doubted she would ever truly understand what had possessed her love-struck buffoon of a team leader, she hadn't had the time to voice her opinions of her leader's recklessness before their combat instructor had _approved_.

Thus, Kirakishou and Ruby Rose had been pitted in a team match against Mercury Black and his partner; some teal-haired girl known as Emerald Sustrai.

Considering the surprise that had flourished on the blonde's face, she hadn't been expecting Ruby to offer herself up and subsequently turn a simple (pointless) assessment into a regular doubles match.

In all rationality, it _should_ have been a complete disaster.

Ruby was a remarkable team leader, yes, but she was a difficult ally to blend with during a confrontation. Her scythe possessed a broad reach and the recoil generated by her sniper shots would oftentimes send the little reaper all across the battlefield. Team RWBY had explicitly trained to handle Ruby's style by giving the girl a sizeable amount of leeway.

Thus pairing her with a girl that hadn't ever fought beside the reaper in an _evaluation for the Vytal Fesitval_ was an accident waiting to happen. Or, even worse, a failed entry. A single member of a team failing would disqualify the entire team and, thus, ruin all of their hard work. Oum, if such a thing happened just because of a rash decision on her team leader's part she would be…

Quite upset.

"_Will you stop it with the damn vines?!"_

And yet, despite all odds, the unique duo had somehow managed to coordinate effectively and were putting up a resounding offence against the likes of Emerald and Mercury. The former of the two opponents having grown rather agitated as the battle continued on far past expectations.

She wasn't surprised to see that the two Haven transfer students were having a difficult time in combating their opponents.

Upon the activation of Kirakishou's semblance at the start of the match, the once lacklustre sparring field had rapidly grown into what seemed to be a veritable _sea_ of writhing pale vines and bone-white roses as far as the eye could see.

Before, Weiss had only witnessed the girl manifest a single small vine trip up Sun Wukong when she had introduced herself to Kirakishou on the docks. Along with some rather ludicrous rumours of vines apparently growing out of the girl's dorm room, it was all the knowledge that Weiss held regarding the odd semblance.

It was made abundantly clear that the girl was holding back a veritable garden of seemingly off-coloured thorned vines and dainty roses.

They weren't _technically_ any thicker than the single vine she had seen grow out of a lamppost on her meeting with the girl. Barely thicker than one of her fingers, really. They didn't need to be. Not when the girl could spawn hundreds of the damnable things without seemingly any impact to her aura whatsoever.

Considering Ruby's had barely reacted to the sudden appearance of a _freaking forest_, it was clear that her leader had witnessed Kirakishou's semblance in this magnitude at a prior date. And not bothered to informed her.

She would be having _words_ with her team leader after this.

For all Emerald's mounting fury and the volley of curses she swore out (honestly how can a student from a well respected institution such as Haven possess such a sailor's vocabulary?) she was making a sizeable effort in resisting Kirakishou's attempts to bind her. Emerald possessed a lithe frame and certainly knew how to avoid it, in conjunction with utilising her bladed pistols to slice away any vines that came too close for comfort.

"Now now," the blonde vine-wielder chided teasingly, hands cradling her face and peeking through her fingers from her kneeling position on the ground, "A rose _needs_ vines. How else is she to move within this world? Silly, silly girl~"

Weiss found the irony quite palpable that a girl whom had remained stationary during the entirety of the fight even had the gall to talk about movement to an opponent that was actively hindered by her vines. Considering the groan of annoyance coming from Emerald, the Haven girl had certainly caught it.

"_That doesn't even make any damn sense!" _the teal-haired girl screeched out, before wincing when a stray bullet from Ruby's crescent rose impacted against her leg. Emerald shot a glare at the younger girl, who was busy fighting up against Mercury yet still had the gall to stick her tongue out.

Mercury himself was performing admirably against the combined efforts of both Ruby's overly aggressive fighting style and the nonstop vines that Kirakishou sent his way, utilising what Weiss could decipher to be a firing mechanism of some kind built into his boots.

Or, in Yang's words, the boy possessed 'shotgun feet'. Not that she would ever label it as such.

Combined with a hand-to-hand fighting style that appears to favour grapples, parries and repels and the silver-haired man was actually managing to perform effectively and even get a few shots off against the two at times.

Whilst it was notable that Ruby's aura had managed to defend a few errant shots and thus far remain in the middle reserves, Kirakishou's vines had blocked every single strike against her body with relative ease.

The blonde's aura, much to Weiss' increasing consternation, had somehow managed to stay completely unhindered and (dare she say it) _full_. Her semblance was thus either remarkably efficient to the point of absurdity or did not drain her aura whatsoever.

She didn't know which one to believe at this point. Frankly, she didn't want to think about it following what seemed to be a rising headache on her part.

"Your friend certainly has quite the… _interesting_ semblance." a voice called out from behind her. Pyrrha Nikos. Ah, yes. She had been quite perplexed when Glynda had denied her second battle following Mercury's challenge. If Weiss recalled, she had been introduced to Kirakishou by Ruby during their leader's whole 'meet and greet' event.

"You can say _that_ again." Nora added inbetween massive bites of a pizza she had ordered midway through the lecture, "I mean, damn. Didn't know flower girl had it in her. Makes me kinda glad not to have to face her."

"She is not a _friend_." she retorted dismissively. "Well. Not _ours_, per say. More of an acquaintance."

Nora merely giggled. She did not like the sound of that giggle, nor the implications it held.

Weiss tried to ignore the smell of pizza. The fact that the girl had the audaciousness to actually _order pizza and have it delivered _mid-lecture was yet another trait regarding the team JNPR member that she had been trying to ignore.

Though after three hours of sitting in this damnable theatre she could understand the girl's reasoning to some degree.

"...I can see _why_ Ruby is fighting the way she does, though."

Yang turned to Blake along with Weiss, glancing at the girl. "What makes you say that?"

"Kirakishou's semblance makes such a thing as _holding back_ a moot point. There is no reason for Ruby to bother, if her partner continues to remain stationary."

"So you're saying she's doing that on _purpose?_" Yang retorted, looking thoughtful. "Huh. Guess it makes sense. And here I thought the girl was just standing still to manipulate the vines or something."

"It's possible." Weiss felt the need to interject, "But I doubt it, considering her earlier comment regarding movement."

A sudden blast of explosive dust caught Weiss' attention as her team leader used the intense recoil of her weapon to fling herself at the silver-haired boy. Mercury. Ruby's opponent managed to latch onto the hilt of Crescent Rose at the last second, barely sparing a wince as the hilt of the gun's barrel burnt against the exposed areas of his fingerless gloves.

The boy had a high tolerance for pain, Weiss would give him that. Having burnt her hands a number of times when first learning to wield her own weapon, she was quite familiar with the sensation.

"You know," Ruby spoke up suddenly as she attempted to push against Mercury's defence with sheer brute strength alone, "you're really really good at this whole fighting thing. We should totally hang out sometime. I'd love to learn how those boots of your work."

Mercury scoffed and went for a low sweep with said boots, forcing the little reaper to back away in a burst of speed and a whine of annoyance.

"...Thanks but I think I'll _pass_ on your... offer, Red." he responded blandly, rolling his shoulders as he settled into a relaxed combat stance. "Your little girlfriend looks like she would probably murder me if I said yes."

Ruby giggled as she glanced over at Kirakishou, longing clearly present within her expression. The sound of her laughter, however, had sounded odd to Weiss' ears. Warped. Distorted, perhaps.

"Hehe~ She probably would!"

* * *

Her opponents were Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black.

They were two curious little dolls. One, bound by the brambles of love to an unfeeling figure; unable to sense the pointlessness of her frivolity amongst her rose-coloured sight. She fought with illusions, much to Kirakishou's inner amusement. They were rather odd tinctures of _falsehood_ that were rather distinguishable when compared to her own machinations. _Visible_, even, to the naked eye. From her viewing within the N-Field, she knew that the girl had been commanded not to use her illusions by her superior, but one cannot simply _deny_ part of who they are. A few illusions had slipped through, here and there.

They were torn down immediately. Pale imitations that they were.

The other was not tied down by emotion. He fought with apathy. Disinterest. Yet the man possessed a hardened mind wrought by folded steel and bathed in the cries of countless victims. _An assassin. _No. The _son_ of an assassin. Yes, that was it. A father's teachings, passed down to his child. Yet the student had now ascended and become the master.

Her beloved Ruby fought beside her.  
As was right.

This was a 'couples match'. Originally, the statement from Professor Goodwitch had brought forth reddened cheeks from both her beloved and the illusionist girl as both their minds assumed an alternate meaning to the phrase. Ruby's own feelings were coupled by a flicker of dread following the snickers of amusement heard from the crowd.

Yet in actuality from what Kirakishou could understand, it was in essence a simple sparring match that pitted two teams of two individuals against each other to assess their skills when fighting as a team. She had found it to be an odd manner of teaching, yet there was a certain sense of passion in fighting beside one's beloved. Ruby was as energetic on the battlefield as she was in all things, utilising her semblance for quick strikes and rapid responses. Coupled with their bond as Rozen Maiden and Master, they possessed a reaction time that far exceeded those of typical teams.

Kirakishou knew exactly why they were facing _these _opponents in particular.

Originally, Mercury Black had intended to fight against Pyrrha Nikos in order to assess her title as the 'invincible woman' and relay pertinent information to his master. Said master would then have utilised the target as a scapegoat in their nefarious plan. Whether it be to focus the negative emotions of others in order to attract a horde of grimm, or to blackmail into stealing a relic of the ages- such things depended on a variety of factors which were left to chance. Their leader cared little of which plan inevitably reached fruition. Only that _one_ did.

Some would call it a poor plan. Others would call it a flexible plan.  
All that mattered in the end was that it was a plan that affected her future.  
All that mattered in the end was that it was a plan that affected Ruby's future.

_THEIR FUTURE. _

_**Unforgivable**__._

Kirakishou had been forced to intervene personally.

It had been a relatively simple task, especially with the N-Field bolstering her understanding of this world. Glynda Goodwitch possessed a stalwart mind and was most certainly immune to a brute force attack on her psyche, yet a subtle prod in a direction that the woman already intended to follow was certainly amongst the realm of possibility. Raising a hand and offering herself as a candidate had achieved the desired result in the waking world.

To this day, resilient minds were becoming a rather disturbing commonality. It had made many of her initial plans rather difficult to complete without physical interaction. She would much rather leave the planning to her time in the N-Field and spend the rest of physical time with her beloved rose, exploring the various carnal pleasures that her darling seemed so very interested in discovering.

She hadn't expected Ruby to immediately declare she would fight by her side, but she had welcomed her beloved red rose with open arms and a blatant gesture of adoration that caused some delightful flutters of embarrassment and barely-restrained passion to flutter forth from the red-tipped ebon-haired girl.

A sizeable majority of the students overseeing the interaction reacted quite interestingly, but it was not important at the current time.

"Will you _stop_ it with the _damn vines?!_" one of her opponents, the girl, had cried out in frustration, hacking and slashing with her weapon at the slew of vines that had been sent in her direction. Many of the vines had either been severed before they could reach Emerald, or dodged entirely.

Sharp blades possessed an unfortunate habit of disrupting her playtime, she discovered.

For all her bickering and curses, the teal-haired girl was doing a remarkable job in resisting her efforts. Emerald possessed a lithe frame and knew how to use it effectively in order to evade strikes from multiple angles simultaneously. Coupled with her semblance, there was no denying that Emerald Sustrai was a dangerous opponent to face in combat.

Considering the relatively calm nature of her previous world, Kirakishou had most certainly never encountered an opponent like this. Most of her playtime had been limited to expending much of her energy in the hopes of finding a wounded soul and gathering them to keep within her garden.

A prolonged physical fight was, of course, far more rare. Why, the only time she had _any_ experience with a similar bout was during the confrontation with unwound Jun and her beloved sisters.

"Now now," she chided teasingly, adopting a particular pose that her darling seemed to particularly enjoy witnessing, "A rose needs vines. How else is she to move within this world? Silly, silly girl~"

"_That doesn't even make any damn sense!" _was the immediate response.

Rude.

Following Emerald's shrill proclamation, it became readily apparent that bouts within the world of Remnant followed an entirely different structure in comparison to those featuring the Rozen Maiden.

Where the battles within the Alice Game of Father's design featured seven sisters fighting for the opportunity to become Alice, this… this _world_ was one that saw fit to force complete strangers against each-other in the hope of forcing tiny souls to grow beyond their simple life. It was a horrific, meaningless thing. A staple to prevent the quell of monsters from overtaking the world itself.

No advancement. No change. Year after year. A war of attrition.

She hadn't the faintest idea how her beloved rose could handle such an existence, yet if it made her Ruby happy then she would do her best to understand. For her beloved, she would do anything.

Because she loved her.

These other dolls could never hope to understand, trapped as dying flowers in a world without nutrients. Without _reason_. How could they ever dream of advancement when their entire life has been without it in the first place?

They were-

"_Kira! Watch out!-_"

_...Ruby? _

She refocused on the event, having originally seen fit to allow her beloved to take centre stage as the reaper rightfully deserved. Only to find her beloved laying collapsed in her arms. When had she even moved to grab the red-haired girl? She didn't remember moving her own arms. When…

What… She didn't-

Her eye widened as a gasp of horror tore itself out of her artificial body.

Ruby's aura was flickering, she realised suddenly. _She had been shot. In the back. _

Shot defending Kirakishou against a strike that wouldn't have impacted her in the slightest, not with her garden bolstering her aura. The shot wouldn't have done anything of import, even if it had somehow managed to avoid her vines.

Her beloved red rose was _injured_.

There was no way such a thing could have occurred. Ruby was faster than this. She shouldn't have been hit by such paltry things, not with the N-Field guiding her motions. Not with their bond flourishing as vibrantly as within the midst of battle.

"...Looks like heat-seeking rounds actually _do _work on you, huh?" Kirakishou tore her gaze away from Ruby at the sound of a triumphant voice in the distance. Mercury. "Took a bit of on-the-fly calibration, I'll admit. These damn vines must be messing with the sensors. But thankfully I was still able to lock onto your signature. Didn't expect little red to take the hit for you, though!"

_He shot her. He shot her in the back. He had been aiming for me, yet he hit her. He shot Ruby. Yes. That's it. She didn't fail to dodge the shot. She chose to take it, to protect me. _

She was shaking, she realised. No. Trembling. But for what reason?

Anger? No. This wasn't it. She had felt that before for the first time with Yang, several weeks ago when Ruby had delivered the transcript and their intimate moment had been interrupted. She remembered the sensation vividly.

This was something else. Something different.

She did not like this feeling. She did not like it one bit.

"S-Sorry, Kira…" Ruby coughed out in her arms, her aura flickering violently. "You were zoned out. I tried calling out to you, but you didn't hear me… I had to- I… Sorry..."

Her aura flickered oncemore and Ruby slumped in her arms. Unconscious. Her weapon, Crescent Rose, fell from the little reaper's hands and clattered against the ground. The sound of Beacon's aura monitoring system tore through the silent combat hall, notifying that Ruby Rose had fallen unconscious from lack of aura and was thus eliminated from the match.

It was just her.

There was _nothing._

She could not sense her beloved.

She could not feel her emotions through their bond.

She could not hear her words.

She could not-

"Y-You…."

Kirakishou's gaze dropped to the floor as she collapsed, taking the unconscious form of her beloved with her even as tears fell from her lone amber eye.

_Gone. Gone gone gone gone gone. _

_Why is it so quiet? _

The silence was agony. After having spent the entirety of her time within this world being nurtured by the loving warmth of Ruby's aura, her _soul_, the visceral experience of the sudden _lack_ of said aura broke her in ways she didn't think was possible after everything that she had experienced over her long life.

Her bond with Ruby, her _contract_, nurtured through their combined experiences and strengthened by the power wrought from her Palace of Beginnings….

_-was QUIET. _

She giggled.

She did not particularly care that it was not her best giggle. The sound was a few tones lower than what was typical and it would appear that she had forgotten to smile and adjust her cheeks. But it didn't matter. The one person for whom she cared about could not hear the sound, nor witness her poor form.

_Oh Ruby… I promised that I would never leave you, and then you are forced away from me regardless. It isn't fair. _

Vaguely she could feel her power making itself manifest, summoning a colossal rose with which to encase the two in a protective embrace. She was not interested in such displays of beauty.

Not at this moment.

What is a rose without one to look upon its elegance? Nothing. Nothing but a _pointless_, _useless _flower growing in a desolate field and surrounded by empty eyes with hollow dreams.

Junk.

Originally, Kirakishou had been planning on a simple display of her powers to certain interested parties in the knowledge that doing such would make it easier to accurately gauge their reactions in the future and thus push them towards her desired outcome.

Now?! Now however-?!

Two had gone and interfered with her beloved Ruby, injuring her only when she had wanted to play with dolls. Dolls that Kirakishou had personally supplied. Yet these dolls were clearly defective in some manner. They were just like her _darling_ sisters- always poking and prodding and breaking everything she holds dear out of some sick desire for completion. It was utterly unforgivable.

Perhaps a show would be in order, to teach those who would _dare_ interfere with her beloved.

Yes. They needed to understand that bad dolls had to suffer consequences. No bad deed goes unpunished.

That would be it. That would do.

* * *

"Something's wrong."

Yang glanced over at the heiress at her statement, to see that the prim-and-proper girl had a worried frown stretching across her face.

The fact that the blonde girl had been kneeling over her baby sister's unconscious body and _giggling_ before that giant flower appeared simply reaffirmed her initial beliefs that there was something a bit _off_ with Kirakishou.

"You think?" she deadpanned. "Honestly I'm surprised Goodwitch didn't at least suspend the match or something to get Ruby out of there. Or even question what the hell Kira's doing. Even Em and Merc don't know how to react to that big flower. Look at them. They're just… tensing a bunch. I have half a mind to shout out at them to do something."

Weiss rolled her eyes at the words, but it did nothing to alleviate the concern that was flourishing within her. "No. Look closer. They're not doing 'nothing' as you put it, they're _waiting_ for Kirakishou to react. Did you not see what happened? The moment that Ruby fell, Kira's entire demeanour changed. Her vines, which were doing a fine job in stopping their advances mind you, suddenly _stopped _and that flower grew in its place. It is a troubling change of character. They are right to be hesitant."

The blonde brawler looked on with a worried frown.

"...She's upset." came Lie Ren's steady voice from behind them, having apparently overheard their hushed conversation. "_Very_ upset. I may not know the girl that well, but it's pretty obvious that Ruby is one of the only people she talks to. Combine that with how she was first acting when we met her and I wouldn't be surprised to hear she has a few screws loose." he looked down at the fight. "Now. Imagine how a person like that may react to the current situation and you'll realise why her opponents are acting so cautious. This is not the same Kirakishou they were fighting before."

* * *

Nestled within her rose, she stared at the downed form of her beloved red rose maiden with a low frown growing on her face. Ruby appeared so very beautiful, even unmoving and unconscious as she currently appeared. It were as if she were a doll just like herself, forever frozen in time.

The fact that her darling had been forced into this state by the actions of _others _was a desecration to everything Kirakishou held dear.

How dare they think to interfere with her beloved. How dare they touch her. How _dare_ they mock her sacrifice. She would show them the errors of their ways. She would show them all. Ruby wa_s hers_ and _hers alone_.

_Ruby… I promised you that I would never hurt you. That I would never leave you. Yet others have hurt you, haven't they? Others have left you in the dust, long before I arrived. _

_You should not have to suffer like this. I will not allow it._

For the first time in her life, she called out for the assistance of her artificial spirit.

"..._Rosary." _

All Rozen Maidens possessed an artificial spirit.  
All Rozen Maidens possessed an artificial spirit capable of manifesting.

These tiny motes of light were created by Father, so that his daughters will never have to suffer through life alone. Initially, their purpose was to send messages and run errands for the Rozen Maiden of which they were bound. Each was symbolic and stylised in a way unique to each artificial spirit.

Yet without a body, without a _genuine Rozen Maiden body_, her own artificial spirit had been unable to manifest ever since her very conception. She had been well and truly alone in the N-Field, as Father had intended.

Now, however. Now she was free. Thus, so was her spirit.

It was an exquisite little ball; a tiny little star possessing a beautiful silver glow that shined with a radiance befitting a pure white rose like herself.

A fitting ally to defend the heart of a Silver-Eyed Warrior.

"_Do it." _

Rosary flew up, out of her summoned rose and within viewing distance of the other students. They needed to see it. They HAD to see it.

The purity of the N-Field made manifest.

Reality tore itself asunder as her artificial spirit ripped through the wafer-thin boundary hiding the waking world from her Palace of Beginnings; visible even to the naked eye as a jagged hole in the air directly above her rose.

Aura flooded through the gap, forcing its way inside her body and nourishing her artificial form with the power she had collected from her garden. Previously she had been content to use the power collected in order to fuel her vines and expand her N-Field to encapsulate more dreamers.

For a brief reprieve, she would allow this power to make her dream a reality.

"_...Rest now, little Ruby." _Kirakishou whispered, setting the unconscious form of her beloved down atop a bed of vines. "_I will show them. I will show them all the fruits of our union._"

* * *

In an instant the girl had appeared, hands gripping Emerald's throat before the teal-haired woman could react to her presence.

_She's fast. _

Blasts courtesy of Talaria, his chosen weapon, were rendered notably ineffective despite having had enough force to cripple the little red-hooded girl from before. It was clear that whatever that _thing_ had created atop that giant rose had amplified the blonde's abilities immensely.

_It's also noticeably increased her aura, if the warnings flashing on that damn screen are any inclination_. He glanced over at the tournament display panel. _Which means either that blue mist that's radiating from the… void? Hole? Whatever it is, that mist either bolsters aura or is actually aura itself. _

_Specifically, her own aura. Because I'm certainly not effected by it. _

_Regardless of which is correct, it's bad news bears for me. A pissed off regenerator is one thing. Hard to stop, but with the right implements and a bit of luck it's possible. A pissed off nutcase capable of amplifying their own aura is another thing entirely. Girl went zero to a hundred real fucking quick. How am I supposed to judge that?_

"Get… off… me, y-ou…" Emerald flailed about, kicking and stabbing her weapon against the blonde. Not that it helped. Her aura reflected each and every blow without pause. His continued shots didn't stop her, even when he attempted to gain her attention by shooting the giant flower holding Ruby.

Not that it even managed to _singe_ the petals. Let alone damage them. It was clear that whatever the petals were made out of, they were notably stronger than her vines. If the flicker of white was actually what he thought it was, then the damnable rose possessed _aura shielding _as well.

All that his little diversionary tactic did was make the blonde glance his way momentarily and tighten her grip on Emerald's throat. His partner's attempts to fruitlessly bat the girl off diminished rapidly as her eyes rolled back in their sockets.

"_Get off me. You..." _Kirakishou repeated, giggling childishly as she watched the teal-haired girl slump unconscious. She threw his partner to the side like a discarded toy, Emerald's aura shattering just as her body impacted harshly against the shield.

"...You shouldn't have done that." Mercury warned, flashing a nonchalant glance over towards an irate Goodwitch and a shell-shocked crowd. The blonde followed his gaze, before smiling and moving to speak aloud.

She blocked his sudden kick without glancing away from the deputy headmistress. Her head slowly turned to face him once more, hands gripping his leg with enough force he could feel his aura creaking from the strain.

What the hell were they _feeding _this girl? She shouldn't be this strong, even with aura.

He pushed himself away with a burst from his weapon, using the recoil generated to both force the girl to let go of him and send him speeding off, landing some distance away from the blonde.

"_You shouldn't have done that..._" Kirakishou repeated, the same childish smile blossoming on her face that she'd been displaying from the very start. "...I had just wanted to play, you know. I like playing. It's fun. But you hurt something of mine. So… hm. I think I'll hurt something of yours, too. Fair is fair is fair is fair...~"

_Vines_.

The very same vines that had fallen with Ruby's collapse suddenly sprang to life once more, circling around the blonde like a pale hurricane of thorns. He tensed in preparation, loading a few heat-seeking rounds into his boots with a precise maneuver.

"After all," the blonde called out, her voice echoing around him. "You know you'll never beat me, _boy_."

_What. How does she-_

In an instant the girl stretched out her arms and a litany of vines were sent his way, twisting and grasping like boneless limbs. Forcing himself into an abrupt jump courtesy of his boots, he was able to escape relatively unscathed barring a few brushes to his aura. The vines sent his way continued on after they had missed their target, impacting harshly against the concrete below and sending chunks flying everywhere.

She sent another volley of vines mid-stride. The moment one had wrapped around his ankle, he knew that he was a goner. Air tore itself out of his lungs as he was forcefully thrown against the shield courtesy of Kirakishou's vines.

The blonde advanced slowly, shoulders shaking with unadulterated mirth and tiny giggles leaving her throat even as several vines wrapped around his body and _squeezed_-

"That is _enough!_"

With a sudden shot from the distance, the vines were suddenly wrenched away from his body and Mercury found himself falling to the ground, coughing violently in an effort to bring as much air into his lungs as possible.

"This match is over." came the irate voice of Beacon's deputy headmistress, her face set into a stern frown as she advanced with her weapon drawn. For the first time in his sordid life, Mercury found himself glad to be faced with the over-protectiveness of Beacon's staff. "Stop your… _semblance_ immediately, Kira."

The two blondes locked eyes in a silent battle of wills, vines circling and shifting around the two.

For a brief moment, the crazed opponent looked like she was about to actually attack Goodwitch herself, before she glanced over at the giant white rose and frowned. With a flourish of her hand, the petals wilted and collapsed, revealing the unconscious body of the little red-riding hood expy that had started all this nonsense in the first place.

There were vines flowing over her body, seemingly coming from the void that odd white ball of light had summoned and pulsing with an eerie blue light reminiscent to the mist from when the void was first summoned.

"_...Rosary._" Kirakishou spoke, her voice hollow and devoid of the freakish giddiness she had been displaying during their fight. The ball of light _glimmered_, for lack of a better word, before the vines, _the tear in reality_ and the creature itself seemingly disappeared of their own accord as if they hadn't even existed in the first place.

Before anything could be said and done, the blonde student went to storm out of the stadium past the irate blonde professor. But not before turning abruptly and levelling a fierce tear-filled glare towards the deputy headmistress. He winced. For a broad with only one eye, she had a glare even the boss couldn't match.

Mercury decided it was in his best interests to take a page out of Emerald's current book and let unconsciousness claim him. Whether it be from aura exhaustion or the pending crushed bones, he wasn't entirely certain. He was, however, quite sure that he'd be having a heated debriefing with the boss later on.

Namely, about how the _fuck_ some random flooze from Beacon Academy just so _happened _to know the exact words that Mercury's father had said moments before his death.

* * *

**A/N:**

Eighteen chapters and we finally see how Kirakishou performs in a fight. I will go out to say that I tend to dislike fight scenes in literature. They're typically very structured. Unit A hits Unit B with this attack, etc etc. Naturally, that style of writing doesn't exactly fit for Kirakishou.

This was my take on a different approach. Please let me know what you all think of it. Suggestions, additions, ideas. I'd love to know.

Until next time!


	19. Chapter 19

Wearily, Ruby found herself returning to consciousness with an agonised groan escaping her chaffed lips. Immediately, the faint sensation of faded pain made itself known in several limbs accompanied by a sizeable headache.

"Are you...-Ruby? Ruby? Can you hear me?"

There was a blonde mop of hair she could faintly make out with her blurry eyes, glancing down at her. Groaning, she moved to adjust herself into more of a sitting position before rubbing her eyes. She was on a hospital bed of some kind with several blankets covering her lower half and a privacy curtain strung up around her immediate vicinity.

Steadily, the image of her big sister came into view. Worried lavender eyes looking downwards at her in a palpable amount of concern.

_Of course it had to be her. I should have known. Her her her. The wrong blonde. _

_Why couldn't it be Kira instead? _

"Wha-..." she coughed, readily grasping a bottle of water when Yang offered it to her and greedily gulping down the precious liquid contained within. "Where am I? What happened?"

In response, Yang pulled back the white curtains that had been surrounding the bed. She was in a white room filled with medical equipment. There was a window next to the door leading towards a hallway of some sort. Judging by the dimmed lights she could see in the hallway, it was either late at night or early in the morning.

She was in a hospital? How'd she get there?

_Hopefully it's not the one where all those deaths occurred a couple weeks ago…_

"You're in the infirmary. At Beacon." Yang clarified at her blank look. "You… ah… You took a pretty heavy hit in the match and it knocked you out. They took you to the infirmary to keep an eye on your recovery." she answered, before pausing. "...What's the last thing you remember? I'm supposed to ask."

Ruby frowned thoughtfully at the question, taking a moment to go back and-

_Fighting. Yes. That was it. I was fighting… In Professor Goodwitch's class. She had kept going on and on and… there was something about pizza? When Kirakishou went to- _

"-Kira!"

Yang gave a heavy sigh, muttering something along the lines of _'Of course you'd think of her first_' under her breath. The blonde brawler shook her head and plastered on a rueful smile.

"...Gonna need a little bit more than just a single word, Rubes. What else do you remember?"

It took a remarkable amount of willpower for the younger Rose to avoid the scowl that was threatening to appear on her lips. Whilst Kirakishou's suggestion that she smooth things out with her sister following Ruby's abrupt nightly visit had been followed through, in truth Ruby was still rather annoyed with her big sister about how dismissive she was of the beautiful Rozen Maiden.

Though Yang _had_ promised during their private talk to give Kira a shot, it was still up in the air if she would actually follow through with it. She, in the very least, _seemed _to be trying to be nicer about Kirakishou. For the current time, Ruby was just pretending to have accepted Yang's apology for what it was.

...Acting in such a way felt _wrong_ on some base, instinctual level. But it was all she could do in order to keep the peace. Ever since she had forced Kira to make the promise to never leave her, Ruby had found herself caring less and less about what her blonde _buffoon_ of a sister thought anyways. If she had to act a little, then so be it.

_Did I really just call Yang a 'buffoon'? _Ruby thought incredulously._ Oum. Guess I'm on some crazy strong meds or something. _

"You there, Ruby?"

"Oh! Sorry. Just got a lot on my mind." she responded automatically, taking a moment to go back and recall what Yang was asking. "Right. Um. I remember… we were in a class with Professor Goodwitch?"

Yang nodded slowly. "Yes. That's right. Do you know what the class was?"

"Combat Class?" she tried hesitantly, continuing on with more confidence when her sister nodded at her answer. "I think I volunteered to help Kira. She'd… Um. She wanted to test Mercury and show him something."

The blonde took a moment to respond. "Oh? You knew beforehand that Kira was going to volunteer for the fight?"

_...No? Why does she think that? _

"That doesn't matter." she answered dismissively, wanting to move forward and get this stupid interrogation or whatever over and done with. "What happened after that? It's all still a little blurry."

The blonde shot her a look. For a moment, Ruby had the distinct feeling that Yang had realised what she was doing.

"Kira volunteered to fight against Mercury when he'd tried to go up against Pyrrha and Goodwitch refused. You stood up and shouted down that you wanted to fight by her side."

Ruby turned beet red in mortification. "...Oh oum. I can't believe I did that."

Yang had the audacity to grin. "You betcha did! Surprised more than a few people, myself included. So thanks for that. Didn't think you had it in you. If it's any consolation, you also seemed to stun Kira as well. She made a few of those, er, flower phrases or whatever and the next moment you two were fighting up against-"

"Mercury and Emerald." Ruby finished.

To her confusion, a notable ripple of anger tore through her at the memory. But that didn't make sense. Why would she be angry? Emerald had been pretty nice to her on occasion, if a little standoffish sometimes. She also remembered that Mercury had these cool boot-guns and used an awesome fighting style that was enough to-

"_-Didn't expect little red to take the hit for you, though!" _

That voice. She knew that voice. A smarmy, self-entitled piece of filth she was beginning to despise with every fibre of her being.

**Mercury. **

_He shot me._

Pain. She remembered pain. She remembered the cry of terror that escaped Kirakishou's beautiful lips as her dreamy expression faded away.

All because of Mercury.

_He shot me in the BACK. _

"Ruby?" she was shook out of her thoughts by her sister. Looking up in confusion, she saw that the blonde was shooting her a particularly worried look. "Are you alright? What happened? You started zoning out. Did you want me to get the nurse?"

She quickly shook her head.

"No! No… It's fine. Just. It's starting to come back to me now. That's all. It surprised me."

_...But how did he hit me? I was faster than him. I remember that much at least. There's no way he could surprise me like that. Was it his semblance or something? Sneak attacks? Or was it a trick of some kind? _

Yang gave a halfhearted chuckle that sounded a bit weary to her ears. "I'll say." she stated, before continuing. "Can you tell me what else you remember? When you took that hit for Kira, she-"

"What."

Her thoughts ground to a sudden halt. All of her attention zeroed in on her sister instantaneously, tearing away whatever painkiller-fuelled haze she'd previously been held in. The cold fury previously festering in her gut made itself readily apparent oncemore.

Yang blinked. "Hm? What's the matter, Rubes?"

"Mercury was aiming for Kirakishou?"

"...Yeah?" Yang answered slowly. "Huh. Surprised you don't remember. You seemed pretty torn up about it when you realised what was happening. Shot right over there with a burst of your semblance just to block the hit. Your 'block' could have been a bit better though...-"

She made an effort of listening to the blonde tease her, but her mind was elsewhere.

_No… That can't be. How could he- Why would- _

_To target such a girl, such a beautiful pure little girl… with a dust round… I mean, sure her semblance is pretty strong but he was good at stopping her vines before they'd hit. Why attack her? _

_Because he's a horrible excuse for a human being, probably._

_I just don't understand how somebody can look at a girl that beautiful and want to FIGHT her, even in a simple spar. She's so delicate. He should have just refused to fight her when she asked. _

_But he DIDN'T. _

_He fought her. _

_He fought Kira because he didn't care. _

_He shot her to stop her. _

_He would have succeeded if it wasn't for me. _

Her sister was saying something to her, but she couldn't make out the words.

_I hate them. _

The realisation struck her with all the ferocity of an Alpha Beowolf mid-strike.

She loathed people whom would stoop to such a level as to attempt to harm the woman she cared for, the sweet little doll that had suffered a great trauma and was only just beginning to stand on her own two feet.

Ruby had seen what Kirakishou had been doing during the fight. She had stood in the background and fought at a distance- utilising her vines for concise strikes. And Kira had done it all for Ruby's sake. To let her take centre stage.

It was obvious. How then, could Mercury and Emerald ever _think_ to strike her beloved? How _dare_ they?! Would Yang do the same? Would her big sister hurt her girlfriend, even if she told her not to?

The very thought terrified her to the core. Her big sister couldn't possibly do such a thing, could she? Sure, Yang had her disagreements regarding Kirakishou but she's not some brute who would stoop to using force, would she?

No. She couldn't let herself get tied up in hypotheticals. She had to focus in the hopes of understanding what had happened regarding her beautiful doll. Even if it hurt to hear.

"...Ho_w_..." her voice was grating, she realised. She quickly took another sip from the water bottle before continuing forwards. "How did Kira react?"

The blonde winced immediately at her question. "Well, she freaked out. Summoned up this giant flower around you two. I've never seen anything like it before. The heiress has been talking about it ever since, you know. About how impossible such a '_manifested aura projection_' is, considering the sheer volume of aura that would be needed to make it. Or something like that. She almost stopped the dance preparations just to focus on researching what she could about aura projections."

_Huh… _Ruby thought. _Guess Kira has a lot of aura to spare. Guess it makes sense. I vaguely remember Uncle Qrow talking about certain semblances costing more aura to maintain, especially ones that project outwards and take physical shape. Kira was using the vines constantly, but I don't remember her aura going down. Maybe she just has so much that it isn't a big deal for her? _

_No wonder that Weiss of all people would be studying Kira's power. Aura studies is her favourite class, after all. Plus the whole Schnee glyphs thing. Makes sense that she would be pretty knowledgeable about the topic of aura by now. _

_Perhaps it has to do with her status as a Rozen Maiden? Maybe it gives more aura? _

_...If mom's a doll now, too, does that mean that she has even more aura? Ah! Too many questions and not enough answers! Of course the one girl that can answer it all isn't here. Damn it. _

"Before we continue, there's just something that I've got to know." Yang's voice cut in again, interrupting her thoughts and bringing her back to the present. "The way you fought… It was like you had practised with Kira before. Many times."

Ruby scrunched up her brow in confusion. "What are you even talking about?"

"What? You seriously don't remember?" Yang rolled her eyes. "Figures. Well, it looked like you two were fighting in perfect sync. You didn't call out attacks or even glance over at Kira's vines when they came rushing by you to attack. No silly team attack names or anything, just ruthless efficiency. Plus you were moving so _fast_, Rubes. How'd you ever manage it? I thought you couldn't handle speeds like that without losing track of things."

Ruby slumped a little in the hospital bed as she realised exactly what her elder sister was questioning her about. In truth, she _had_ remembered exactly how she fought with Kirakishou by her side. The fact that Yang had merely assumed she hadn't was a failing that she wouldn't bother to correct. It would just raise more annoying questions.

But how can she explain what it was like, fighting beside the woman you have come to care for? Feeling the bond of your twin souls, nourishing and protecting you against all harm. It hadn't felt like a _simple couples match_. Not in the slightest. They had moved as a cohesive unit.

It was a dance. An intimate embrace. A display of passion.

There had been no plan on her mind. No strategy to achieve. Ruby had known exactly how she needed to strike mere seconds before carrying out the manoeuvre. Pure instinct had fuelled her movements. Instinct, coupled with an immense faith in the blonde doll.

But how could she ever hope to explain such a thing to a woman who would probably snap if she heard even half the things that Ruby's gotten up to with the doll? Let alone the nature of their _relationship_.

"It, er, I don't exactly know how to…"

_./.?- _

Ruby snapped upright in the bed, glancing around rapidly as she tried to pinpoint a sound that appeared on the precipice of awareness.

"You okay Ruby? What's going on?"

The sound. She'd heard it before. Somewhere.

In a dream, perhaps?

A half-remembered thought. Crystals. Glimmering. Resonating. Yes. That was it. That was the sound. But what...-

"_Kirakishou_."

Yang moved forward, grabbing her shoulders. Only then, did Ruby realise she had been leaning off to the side, mere centimetres away from falling off the hospital bed. Confused silver eyes fluttered rapidly as she fought to regain her bearings.

The world was spinning. She could feel a tingle rushing down her spine.

"...She's _awake_." Ruby realised, whispering out the words.

_I need her. I need her so much. Please, Kira. Come to me, please! You have to know where I am, don't you? How could you not? Please… I can't stand this much longer… please! You promised! _

Yang gave her a weird look. "It's two in the morning. How can you be so sure?"

"I just know." Ruby felt her eyes move to the golden ring that lay nestled on her left hand, "I can't explain it."

A sudden _ripple_ caught her attention, Yang's eyes follow her gaze and turning not towards the door but to the window next to it- where a mass of white petals had suddenly appeared, seemingly pressed up against the glass and growing outwards in a circular pattern.

"She's coming."

* * *

Vines. Those _damn vines _appeared again, flowing organically out of a glass window in a manner which distinctly reminded Yang of a sea creature of some sort- a single large body with multiple smaller tendrils feeling the nearby area. She steadily edged backwards, careful to not attract any attention as she positioned herself in-between Ruby and the… _things. _

A familiar blonde head of hair appeared crawling through the centre of the vines, pulling herself through as if crawling through a hole.

"Kirakishou!" Ruby exclaimed in glee, zipping past Yang in a burst of petals to glomp the girl in a sudden surprised hug. "I missed you so much!"

That didn't make any sense. From what the nurse told her, Ruby shouldn't have been able to move on her own two feet, let alone use her semblance. It was a miracle that she was even awake this early on. They had been expecting her to be out until midday tomorrow.

"My beloved red rose maiden..." Kirakishou murmured, just loud enough for Yang to overhear her words. "I… I am glad you are alright. When you fell in battle I grew… _displeased_. Fearful."

Her sister blushed a deep scarlet. "I-It was just a little bit of aura damage, Kira. No problem at all. Mercury just managed to land a good hit on me. You didn't have to get mad just for my sake, you know. Though it's sweet that you did..."

Kirakishou blushed, detaching from the embrace and glancing away in apparent bashfulness. It was the first time that Yang had seen the other blonde blush before and she would admit that it was indeed quite adorable. Not as adorable as the ones she managed to squeeze out of her baby sister during her teasing, but a close contender nonetheless.

She looked between the two girls, torn between abject confusion and vague amusement at their antics. On one hand, the fact that Kirakishou had just _crawled through solid glass_ was more than a little concerning and would probably give the heiress an aneurysm once Yang told her about it.

However, it was hard to stay concerned when the girl in question was acting more the part of a shy girl than an actual threat.

"You were more than a little _displeased._" Yang decided to interject, the two girls glancing over her way and blushing at the scene. They had actually forgotten she was in the room, she realised. Oh oum. "You clobbered those two. Hell, you threw Emerald away like a sack of potatoes or something. It was hilarious."

Ruby rounded on the girl, her face comically stern. "I hope you didn't hurt them too bad, Kira..."

The little blonde giggled. "Maybe a little bit." she admitted, lips curling into a mischievous smile at the girl's attention. "...But that isn't why I have come here, Ruby."

Yang blinked at the sudden change in tone. She'd expected the two to act all cutesy for ages, but it appeared something else was on the small blonde's mind.

"...What's happening?" she asked.

Kirakishou slowly led Ruby back to her bed, taking a seat next to her baby sister and gesturing for her to take a seat as well. More than a little uncomfortable to consider sitting next to the girl she had witnessed choking two separate students unconscious, Yang opted to move to the chair she had been sitting on before.

"Please, Kira. What's going on? You're scaring me." Ruby whispered out, big silver eyes looking at the girl in worry.

Kirakishou exhaled, leaning into the younger girl and resting her head on Ruby's shoulder.

"...The agent of Father has made his first move. He seeks to ensure I wilt and wither, so that he may return me to my sisters."

"Your sisters?" Yang parroted, vaguely remembering the girl speaking about her six other sisters when they first met on the trip back to Beacon from the docks. Something about her sisters betraying her? And what did her dad have to do about it?

Regardless, the fact that there was someone out there trying to forcibly take away a little girl, crazy or not, sent an uncomfortable tremor down her spine.

Ruby's expression hardened as she pulled the girl into a forceful hug. "He can't do that! I-I _won't _let him do that, Kira."

"...I know you won't." Kirakishou smiled. It was a sad, forlorn attempt of a smile that most certainly didn't reach her eye. "Certain events have already taken place in this world of roses. Already, the agent is making his way here. Others are coming to this room with news of a tragedy instigated by his machinations. I have come to warn you, my lovely maiden."

"Warn her?" Yang repeated, catching on to the odd choice of words. "Why would you need to warn Ruby? Is something happening?"

Kirakishou nodded. "Yes. Father's agent, Laplace-no-ma, will sense my bond with my beloved red rose maiden. If he cannot reach me within my Palace, he will attempt to use her in order to reach my palace. She is in danger."

_WHAT?! _

She was up out of her chair and screaming at the girl before she even knew what she was doing.

"You mean to tell me that there's some dangerous fucking psycho that might target my baby sister and you're just coming to warn us now?!"

Kirakishou flinched and crawled further into Ruby's embrace as the silver-eyed girl glared fiercely in her direction.

"Yang, _please_." Ruby whined in the way only her baby sister could. "Can you cool your jets, please? You're scaring her. She's just trying to help."

She scoffed inwardly. As if the girl who took down Emerald and Mercury in such a brutal fashion would ever be scared of _her_. It was more likely that she was just feigning fear to get more hugs from Ruby. Throughout the year she'd seen more than one sleazeball attempt the same with her just to get closer; pretending to be something that they're not.

However, she had made a personal promise not to antagonise the girl lest she continue to drive a wedge between Ruby and herself. So, she reluctantly forced herself to calm down and sit back in the chair.

_There has to be something that I'm missing. _She reminded herself. _If Blake and Weiss are so fine with the girl, I shouldn't jump to conclusions..._

"Sorry. Just… it's a lot to drop all of a sudden, you know? I don't want to see Ruby get hurt. I'm sure you understand. Please, continue."

Kirakishou shuffled out of the embrace, giving her a slow hesitant nod. "...A pure rose needs protecting…" she mumbled in acquiescence. It was likely the best she was going to get out of the strange girl.

"What's happened, Kira?" Ruby spoke up in a soft, consoling voice as she rubbed circles on the girl's back. "What has Laplace-no-ma done?"

For a brief moment, Yang marvelled at how a girl like Ruby who used to stumble over the most basic of phrases when she was embarrassed actually managed speak such a weird name with perfect clarity after having just heard it for the first time. Let alone _console_ someone in a way so eerily similar to how mom used to do it.

"He successfully manipulated an outsider into destroying a precious creation. I was forced to arrive through the N-Field, so that I may avoid the prying eyes of the dolls he captured and trapped with false knowledge and twisted assumptions."

_N-Field… Laplace-no-ma… now she's talking about dolls of all things. The list goes on. And Ruby takes it all with a simple nod. It's clear that Rubes knows a lot more about this girl than I do. Which is fine! Just… something about this strikes me the wrong way. _

"I have been confined to my dorm room." Kirakishou continued. "Utilising the N-Field was the only way I could visit you, my little rose. Weak as it is in an expansion phase, it was worth it just to feel your soul against mine once more."

_So the N-Field is connected to whatever it was she used in order to get here? And it's expanding? Whatever does that mean? _Yang wondered, eyeing the glass divider wearily. It had seemed like a regular pane of glass, up until the young blonde had crawled right through it without pause.

_...Whatever it is, it's something other than her semblance. The way she talks about it implies it's some else. Something even weirder. Great._

Ruby blushed at the girl's affections, shooting her an embarrassed look and-

"Waitwaitwait, you've been _confined?_" Ruby called out in alarm, "What do you-"

Kirakishou pushed the girl back, stumbling up and glancing over to to the door. "There's no time." she stated quickly, looking between Yang and Ruby. "...Three are coming. I must leave before I am discovered, or they will hurt me._" _

A _ripple_ and a sudden burst of vines and the blonde was gone as quickly as she had appeared, leaving the two sisters sitting there in silence. Ruby's pale skin had paled even further at the little blonde's choice of words and her hands had curled into fists, clutching the bedsheets tightly.

She was mad. No. That would be understating things. _Mad_ had been when Yang would knock down her plate of cookies as a kid when she thought that the girl had eaten too many. This was different. Her baby sister was _furious_.

Not even ten seconds after the blonde had left, in the waking silence the two half-sisters heard footsteps approaching before the door to their room opened.

"...I hope we're not intruding." a voice spoke amongst the silence that had greeted them.

_Headmaster Ozpin? What's he doing here? Wait- is that General Ironwood? The headmaster of Atlas Academy? What in the world is going on? I thought Kira said that three were coming? And why would they want to hurt her? _

_That damn girl just can't make anything easy to understand, can she? _

Ruby shook her head rapidly at the headmaster's question, rage melting off her face as an embarrassed blush suffused her cheeks. "N-No, sir! Er, sirs. Sorry. Just, um…"

"Sisterly stuff. You don't wanna know." Yang supplied, shooting her sister a sideways grin. Hopefully helping her little sis out of this mess would earn her some major points and get her back in the girl's good books. Then, they could solve all this Kirakishou mess together and be done with it.

"...Right." Ozpin stated, "Well, I do hope you two don't mind the intrusion. James and I wanted to ask a few questions regarding the fight." the silver-haired headmaster briefly turned her way, before refocusing on Ruby. "...Would you prefer to be alone for this?"

Indignant, she went to speak up, only for Ruby to interject with a simple "It's fine."

She breathed a sigh of relief. _Baby steps, Xiao-long… _

The Atlesian General nodded along. "Very well." he briefly glanced over to Ozpin, before refocusing and continuing. "As you two may or may not be aware, sparring matches in huntsmen academies are heavily monitored as to prevent any major incidents. The data recorded ranges from aura use to aura generation and is designed to assess how effectively a trainee utilises their abilities in a combat situation." he explained.

Yang blinked. She most certainly had _not_ been aware of such a thing, but she supposed it made sense. They were using live ammunition and were permitted to use their semblances during sparring matches. The use of any such inherently generated a sizeable amount of danger.

Had it not been for their combat instructor being _Glynda Freaking Goodwitch_, Yang would have been quite uncomfortable at the idea of her baby sister fighting against her elders with live-fire rounds and her own dangerous semblance. Thankfully, Miss Goodwitch had proven herself a respectable professor and… well… more than a little terrifying the moment someone stepped out of line.

Her sister was in safe hands.

But the question remained, what did any of this have to do with her little Rubes?

"During your team fight with miss… Kira-kee-shoe… she- am I not saying that correctly?" the Atlesian professor trailed off following Ruby's sudden bout of giggles.

"It's pronounced 'Kirak-ee-show'. Well, probably. Least, that's how _I _pronounce it. Not… N-Not _that_." Ruby explained, trying and failing to hide her smile. Even Yang had to fight off a few giggles at the perturbed expression on the General's face.

Oddly enough the smile that was on Ruby's face quickly vanished after a moment's notice, replaced with a thin-lipped frown that seemed a little forced.

_I've said it before and I'll say it again; frowns do not suit Ruby. A little sweetling like her shouldn't ever be mad, not after everything that's happened to her. The girl deserves to smile._

Headmaster Ozpin looked off thoughtfully. "...Huh. Wish _somebody_ had told me that before." he muttered, drawing an apologetic look from her younger sister.

_Someone's been a naughty girl~ _Yang jeered inwardly.

"Continuing on," Ironwood said, "during the match, Beacon's recording software identified certain _inconsistencies_ within Kirakishou's aura." he paused at his attempt of voicing Kira's name correctly, before continuing following Ruby's small nod. "First and foremost, as you should be aware, a huntress' aura functions as a shield; depleted either through defending against heavy strikes or through repetitive use of ones semblance. However, your teammate on the battlefield displayed no such reaction to outside stressors."

"You're saying that her aura _really_ didn't go down when Kira used her semblance?" Ruby questioned incredulously, before blinking. "Huh. And here I thought she was just really efficient with her semblance or something..."

The General nodded succinctly. "A reasonable assumption. However, you would be incorrect in this case. Neither when she utilised her semblance nor when Mercury managed to land a shot on her following your elimination, did her aura ever diminish."

Ruby's eyes narrowed and she muttered several choice words under her breath that, to Yang, implied her baby sister had most certainly forgotten she was in the presence of not only the headmaster but an _Atlesian General. _

_...Colourful vocabulary, though. Guess she's been listening to Mama Yang after all. Though not in the ways I'd like. I'll have to sit down and talk to her about that later. Much later. Preferably when she's not liable to snap at me for just trying to help out. Again._

"If her aura doesn't go down when she fights, then how in the world could anyone hope to fight her and win?" Yang offered, if only to satisfy her own curiosity and prevent the headmasters from reprimanding her baby sister for her words.

Ozpin gave a low chuckle. It sounded tired to her ears. "...Oh, but her aura _did_ suffer at precisely one point in the battle. Just not in the ways in which the good General outlined."

"...When I got hit by Mercury." Ruby supplied, her voice cold.

Both the generals nodded, some surprise registering on their features. "Correct again." Ironwood praised. "Several scientific journals have noted the correlation between extreme emotional outbursts and the relative strength of ones aura. In times of great strife, the aura of hunters and huntresses would notably suffer. It would appear such was the case, albeit to a far higher degree than what is typical." he answered. "Recordings indicate her aura dropped by over half following your elimination."

Ruby lowered her head. "...She shouldn't have _had_ to suffer in the first place."

The two headmasters glanced at each other, an unspoken conversation occurring between them in an instant.

"Understandable, of course." Ozpin stated gently. "Which is _why_ we are concerned about the other readings attained during the fight. There were unique fluctuations within Kirakishou's aura whilst her semblance was active. Following Miss Rose's elimination, these fluctuations increased in severity as Kirakishou's behaviour became notably unbalanced. We were hoping you could provide some insight as to why this is the case."

Yang didn't understand. The aura was the manifestation of their souls. She had been taught that since she was a child.

How could a soul _fluctuate_?

Ah. Ruby was doing her nervous tic again, playing with her hands and glancing away. She knew something, which Yang assumed she was uncomfortable about discussing with the two headmasters.

Ozpin continued. "We only ask because similar readings also seem to have appeared within _your_ aura as well, Miss Rose. These, however, appear to still continue even long after the match has concluded."

Yang's eyes widened in shock.

"M-My aura?" Ruby blurted out, looking a little faint. It would seem that whatever secret she was hiding didn't include her part in it all. She'd have to question the girl about it later. "So that's why Yang was asking me all those questions before, wasn't it? You wanted to see if I remembered something that could help. Questions about memory loss, so it's probably something that you're looking out for, right? But what's memory loss got to do with aura, or these fluctuations you're talking about? That doesn't make any sense."

_How did- Holy crap. She just figured that all out on her own. Wow. When did my baby sister become such a sleuth? And here I thought they just wanted me to ask routine questions. Make it easier on the nurse or something. She's right though. Thinking back on it, they are some pretty weird questions to be asking... _

"...Once more you surprise us with your deductive reasoning, Miss Rose." Ironwood answered again, sharing a significant look with Beacon's headmaster who merely levelled a tired frown his way. "_However_, we hadn't accounted for your sudden bout of consciousness. All estimates pinned you waking several days from now. Once the system registered your return to consciousness, we arrived as quickly as it could. Although, it would appear that your sister had begun questioning before we were ready to explain exactly why we were asking them in the first place."

She winced at the icy glare sent her way by her baby sister. A face that adorable shouldn't ever be scrunched up like that. It looked utterly out of place on little Ruby.

Perhaps it was deserved. She should have waited a bit longer. But she had wanted to make sure there wasn't any damage…

Now with Kirakishou's warning at the forefront of her mind, she didn't know _what_ to say. If what she understood about the girl's musings was correct, then Kirakishou believed that Ozpin and Ironwood were being manipulated in some way. Were the questions part of the manipulation? Or was it just them being cautious about something else?

_...Dolls. Trapped with false knowledge and twisted assumptions… Oum does that girl have a colourful little vocabulary of her own. Least she kept most of the flower phrases out of it this time. _

"She, um, she _seems _fine." Yang decided to go out on a limb and give Kirakishou the benefit of the doubt until she could question the girl further. If they _were_ being influenced by the guy after Kirakishou, then she didn't want news of Ruby's condition reaching the Laplace-thingy in case he opts to go after her.

"That's good." Ozpin answered, smiling a grandfather smile her way. "Thank you, Miss Xiao Long, for looking after your sister. She is lucky to have you."

Yang smiled. "More than she knows." she answered, levelling a teasing smile at the girl who merely responded by _childishly _poking her tongue out in her direction.

"We are indeed glad to hear that our concerns were unwarranted in this instance. That being said however," Ozpin continued after a slight pause, "there is more to be discussed, though perhaps at a later date. I'm sure that I speak for all in saying that it is far too early for long conversations. Especially in regards to more sensitive matters. Rest assured that everything will be explained at a later date, once we've all had a good rest."

_...Oh, shit. Right. It's like two in the morning, isn't it? Crap. Well, least there isn't any major lectures on early today. Oum I love Wednesdays. Though I bet the heiress has saved up all the homework from yesterday for our wonderful little team leader…_

Ruby was going to love that.

Then again her baby sister was turning into a bit of a nerd with all the studying she's been doing recently so she might _actually_ love it. Guess little Rubes really was growing up, huh?

"Indeed." Ironwood agreed with his fellow headmaster. "The nurse will visit again later on in the day to assess Ruby's aura for any further fluctuations. Considering she is conscious and apparently lacking any troubling symptoms, she should likely be up and healthy by the end of the day. We shall leave you for the time being. Rest assured that you both will be exempt from classes today whilst Ruby recovers. Thank you for your time." he spoke, before turning and walking out the door.

Ozpin made to leave, before turning back and glancing at the two girls from over his shoulder. There was an odd look on his face. Somewhere between a smile and a grimace. "Ah. I almost forgot. You both have another visitor." he moved forward, glancing at the hallway. "They're all yours."

_...Who...- DAD!_

"Hey, girls."

Taiyang Xiao Long stepped through the door, looking a little worse for wear than what Yang initially remembered of her Father the day before they set off for Beacon's orientation. His hair was notably scruffier than usual and it was obvious he hadn't shaved in a few days. He moved to wrap her in a hug that she eagerly accepted, before he moved to stand beside Ruby and smile down at her prone form.

_So, what? You'll jump up to cuddle Kira but you won't for your own dad? Or did seeing Kira suck all the energy out of you? Guess I'll never know. _

"Dad!" Ruby exclaimed in glee, grinning toothily at the man as she leant in for a hug. "I'm so glad you're here! Oh my oum, Beacon has been so freaking amazeballs!~" she babbled, "You should have seen it! You stop one dust robbery and suddenly your life changes forever! When I first started training to become a huntress I knew it would be wild, but not _this_ wild. It's great!"

For all his worth, Tai merely nodded along with Ruby's flood of words, even whilst Yang herself boggled at somebody in this day and age actually using the word 'amazeballs' with a straight face.

"That's… that's great honey. I'm glad you're having fun here at Beacon. It's… truly a wonderful place, isn't it?"

Her baby sister nodded excitedly. "So where's mom?" Ruby cocked her head to the side, smiling happily up at her father.

_...She's talking about Summer Rose. Mom… Come to think of it, I'm surprised that she didn't come in with dad as well. Though maybe she's just held up or something. Or on another mission. Though I hope not. We just got her back, after all…_

Tai winced. He went to speak, only to seemingly fail at finding the words and glance away. Yang picked up on it immediately, whilst Ruby only blinked confusingly at the encroaching silence.

"What's wrong?" Yang asked. "_Please_ don't say she's on another mission or something."

The blonde man shook his head, a weak chuckle escaping him. "N-No… It's… it's not that, Yang. I, well, I wish I could say that I've come here with good news but..."

"...Dad, what's going on?" Ruby asked insistently, tugging on his arm to get his attention when the man refused to look at her. "Where's mom?"

Tai breathed in a deep breath. It was only at that moment that Yang noticed that the man's eyes were red and he looked like he hadn't slept well recently.

"Summer Rose. She's, well… it's been revealed that the Summer Rose that you encountered on the docks was an impostor. A fake. S-She wasn't even _human_... James suspects it's a type of vessel animated by an artificial aura of some kind. A doll. T-They, um, suspect a Beacon student was involved somehow. A girl named… Er. Kira something. Do you two know her?"

* * *

**A/N: **

There we go. Feels good to publish another chapter after so long. As some of you may be aware, I write two chapters ahead. Chapter 21 struggled to be written. But we're there. Finally.  
Let me know what you think of the story so far! Reviews are always welcome.

OH WAIT WE'RE AT 100K WORDS NOW.  
_eeeeeee!~  
_

Thank you all for your support in this story. It's a small little fanfiction crossing over an older show with something newer, but I love it to bits. I started this story with the intent to bring notice to a forgotten series and, in my mind, a wonderful little character who deserved far more than what she got in the original series. Through time, this story has evolved into what it is today. I couldn't have done it without all your support.


	20. Chapter 20

"I'm surprised. You didn't tell Summer's child that you're still monitoring her aura, or of the various anomalies generated by Kirakishou during her enraged assault."

Ozpin gave a low, tired chuckle as the two walked out of the infirmary. Knowing the grief that would soon follow upon Taiyang's admission, the two headmasters had seen fit to make themselves scarce.

"...It was not the time for such things, James. You know that."

"Yes. I'm aware."

The news of Summer's resurrection and subsequent demise had been a great shock for many of those whom were privy to the information; himself especially. Summer Rose had been a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy during her time in Beacon Academy and her career as a huntress following her orientation had seen a great many criminals put to justice.

James had been curious, yet rather speculative, at her sudden appearance following over a decade of silence. Ozpin had never seen fit to release the documents surrounding her final mission despite his numerous requests over the years, but he'd been able to glean enough information to determine that there was no doubt in the Vale headmaster's mind that Summer Rose was indeed killed off in a mission against the grimm.

Considering her nature as a Silver-Eyed Warrior, it would have taken an immense amount of grimm to successfully defeat Summer.

Either that, or Salem herself had personally dealt with her. Two distinct possibilities, all leading to the same outcome in the end. He had hoped to utilise her sudden resurrection to determine _what exactly_ had occurred to result in her demise, yet not only had James been prevented from interrogating the woman but it had been revealed that she had no knowledge of her final mission in the first place.

James had hoped that eventually the woman's forgotten memories would resurface following some quality time with her husband. Until, one day, the newly resurrected Summer Rose was presented to him in a body-bag by the very same man.

She wasn't even human.

A horrific scream tore itself down the hallway, startling a few of the nearby staff-members in the vicinity. Most of the lights in the area flickered and a few burst, spraying a great many sparks everywhere and startling more than a few nearby people. The nurse raced past him, not paying the two headmasters or the electrical anomaly any notice, likely believing the scream to be an urgent cry for help.

They both kept walking. They knew who was crying out. Poor girl.

"...I had hoped that Tai would at-least wait until Miss Rose had recovered before breaking the news to her." Ozpin muttered despondently, shaking his head. "No child should have to go through the death of a parent. Let alone _twice_. Even if the second time was merely an impostor with her face."

"She's a strong girl." Ironwood reassured his old friend. "She'll be able to soldier through it. You wouldn't have allowed her into Beacon Academy two years early if you didn't believe in her, after all."

Ozpin glanced at him, some surprise registering on the man's features behind the melancholy of the moment.

"You seem remarkably well versed."

Ironwood nodded curtly. Upon learning that Summer Rose had resurfaced, he had seen fit to research her daughter in the hopes of discovering if the girl possessed the same finesse as her prodigal mother. Learning that Ozpin had admitted the girl into Beacon Academy two years ahead of schedule cemented his musings that the aged headmaster was also interested in the girl and her lineage.

A shame that Ozpin had gotten to her first. Children like her with superior fortitude and mental acuity were prime candidates for the Atlesian Military Initiates Program.

"Yes. Indeed I am. She has become a remarkable trainee." he stated with pride. "Interfering with a dust robbery not once but on _two_ separate occasions not in regards to any _duty_, but in order to protect the people. The young Miss Rose has been a student in your academy for mere months and has already begun to journey down her mother's footsteps in order to become a fine huntress."

"Which, no doubt, is why you share my concern in these fluctuations within her aura."

In a way, his fellow headmaster was correct in assuaging his worries. As Ozpin had mentioned to the girl herself mere moments ago; there were only a small amount of cases where such an event was noted and recorded. What he had failed to mention was what exactly had happened to the victims of such a case.

The current Fall Maiden, Amber, was the current only living case in recent memory. Whilst Ozpin may have possibly encountered a similar situation before in a past life, either the man likely hadn't found a cure or did not believe it would be effective in this case. Now it would appear as if Amber's condition was joined by Summer's own daughter and also by the prime suspect considered for the resurrection of the Summer lookalike- Kirakishou.

He knew that something was happening. They were missing something.

"...It is indeed troubling. Whilst we have some foreknowledge in regards to the events surrounding Amber's current condition in thanks to your operative-"

"-Qrow." Ozpin interjected.

"Yes, Qrow. In thanks to his timely intervention, we possess intelligence which suggests that _She_ utilised a subordinate in a bid to gain access to Maiden powers." he summarised, ignoring the brief flicker of annoyance at the mention of Ozpin's drunken operative. "Utilising a unique grimm of some sort in order to harvest the power itself. When Qrow interrupted the attack and rescued Amber, she was left in her current state."

"Once more, we find two girls whom are also displaying similar fluctuations." Ozpin finished his thoughts, "Whilst Miss Kira's appear far more extreme, Miss Rose's own fluctuations cannot be ignored considering her status. Yet, despite all medical knowledge pointing to a steady decline and eventual coma, both girls are the pinnacle of health. It is unnatural."

Ruby Rose awakening so early following complete aura exhaustion should have been medically impossible. Even factoring in other cases of those with far larger reserves and thus an incrementally faster regeneration, she shouldn't have been able to awaken from her slumber for at-least another period of twelve hours.

But awaken she had. With a fluctuating aura matching that of her deranged partner, no less. But that hadn't stopped her. No. Not the child of the esteemed Summer Rose.

The sheer _strength _of this girl astounded him. She possessed a certain strength of spirit typically found only within the most stalwart of individuals. A truly rare breed for this war-torn world.

...Perhaps? Hm. It was possible. He would have to discuss this with the headmaster when he had the chance. But if he _could_ get the wizened old man to agree on it then-

"What have you discovered so far in regards to the Summer Rose impostor?" Ozpin requested, stirring him out of his thoughts.

Ah. Yes. That.

Following Taiyang arriving on a private transport with the impostor's body in tow, Ozpin had specifically chosen to hand over ownership of the body to him so that he could conduct a thorough autopsy on the corpse under the stipulation that he discuss any and all information uncovered. Were it not for Miss Rose's sudden awakening, James likely would still have been in the midst of writing down his notes for a proper report to present following by a well-deserved rest.

It would appear that Vale's Huntsmen Headmaster was far too impatient to follow standard proceedure. Although it went against his code of conduct, James could respect a man who trusted his subordinates enough to receive information by mere word-of-mouth alone.

"...Very well. If you must know, then I would be happy to oblige. Current revelations have been rather concerning as of late and I was hoping to compile the information in a proper report before presenting them properly."

"_Concerning?_" the headmaster repeated, curiosity lacing his tone.

"Yes. It is as if I'm attempting to perform an autopsy on a lifesize doll, Ozpin. Not unlike the Atlesian Mechs which patrol the academy in Atlas. However, for the life of me I cannot determine what gave it sentience. It is quite unlike anything I have ever seen before."

"..A doll?" Ozpin questioned, scrunching up his brow in confusion. "...An odd choice of words and yet a rather fitting descriptive regardless. She behaved much like one, did she not? A girl out of her time. Uncanny, yet graceful. We should have been more suspicious of her sudden arrival, rather than chalking it up to a miraculous appearance."

He nodded at the introspection, wholeheartedly agreeing with the words of the headmaster for what they were. Throughout his many years as both a military general and a headmaster, James had witnessed many things that the common folk would describe as an oddity beyond the realms of possibility.

The dead were meant to stay dead. To have hoped that Summer Rose was an exception to the rule was a fool's gambit.

"Her outer layer appears to be a polyurethane resin of some kind." Ironwood informed, "However, whilst the material appears similar to high-density resins used in moulding agriculture or military equipment, it is remarkably malleable and highly resistant to damage of any sort. Coupled with the ball-and-socket joints that compose her frame and she is, quite literally, a humanoid doll."

"...And what of her internal organs?"

"I have thus far been unable to penetrate the Summer doll's outer casing with the current available tools." James informed, shaking his head. "I have sent for more specialised pieces from Atlas in the meantime. However, scans revealed that she appears to possess a rudimentary skeleton, albeit one supported by thick strings of some kind. Both completely inorganic."

The headmaster of Vale gave a low chuckle, shaking his head. "...It almost sounds like something out of a child's storybook. A doll come to life. For said doll to be made in the likes of _Summer Rose_..." he trailed off momentarily, "...A dangerous ability indeed. The ability to animate perfect duplicates."

_Perfect_ was not the correct choice of phrasing.

"...Imperfect, actually." he spoke up, drawing the fellow headmaster's attention. "The Summer doll appeared to present with further memory loss than previously stipulated in your initial interrogation of her."

James tried not to fume at the memory of being denied the chance to interrogate Summer Rose the moment that she had suddenly resurfaced. Were _he_ the one in charge, he may have discovered the impostor before she had the chance to escape their clutches. Perhaps then, he wouldn't have encountered the beaten down and broken form of Taiyang Xiao Long for a second time in his life.

"_More_ memory loss? How so?"

"From what Taiyang spoke of in his report, when 'Summer' arrived at their familial home she initially presented as severely distraught; breaking into tears as she surveyed the house. Upon questioning her, Taiyang discovered that she had forgotten several key events in her life and sat her down to reliably sort out what she _did_ in fact remember. At the time, he had chalked it up to a form of traumatic memory loss and merely assumed her memories would resurface in due time once she felt safe and secure."

"...It seems that Taiyang is quite the note-taker." Ozpin idly observed. "It is quite the refreshing change from his previous disposition during his time as a trainee huntsmen."

Ironwood levelled a frown in the headmaster's direction. Of all the pieces of information to focus on and the man decides to reminisce about a previous student's personal growth. Whilst it was far more likely that Ozpin was simply biding his time in order to process the information he had delivered in a proper manner, there were other matters of import that were rather time sensitive.

Still. It would be rude not to reply.

"Yes, well, he _is_ a teacher at Signal Academy, is he not? One would only hope that a man in his position would be able to reliably keep track of a large amount of data. Especially regarding those closest to him."

"Perhaps." Ozpin allowed.

With some measure of finality, the two headmasters exited from the infirmary halls and made the trek through the academy grounds in relatively comfortable silence. It was a useful moment to recollect their thoughts regarding the current situation.

"Tell me something James," the headmaster of Beacon spoke up after a moment, "if this _Kirakishou_ is indeed the culprit behind the Summer doll's appearance, what was her purpose? To intervene in a fight against White Fang soldiers? With the sheer strength of her vines alone she could have stopped the fight single-handedly. I can see no other possible reasoning. Once the White Fang members were apprehended, all 'Summer' wished for was to return home to see her husband."

_...That's the million lien question, isn't it? _

_Why? _

Why in the world would a lone girl whom had mysteriously appeared one day, animate a doll in the form of Summer Rose? What possible motive could she have had?

"A mystery for the ages, I suppose. Considering her status as a stranger with an unknown past, we have no relatives or associates to question. She is completely alone, barring those that she has met in this academy so far which would likely be as unaware as we are." he mused with a yawn, staring up at the moonlit sky. "Would it not be best to question the doll's suspected creator? From what I have heard, you currently have her under a house arrest of some kind?"

"It may be for the best to interrogate her, yes." Ozpin answered, before sighing and slumping down onto a nearby bench. With some degree of caution, the general sat beside the man. "Yet, I find myself reluctant. What is there to possibly hope to gain in questioning the motive of a girl on the edge of sanity? A girl who almost broke the necks of two visiting students the moment her partner fell unconscious. A girl who speaks in riddles regarding flowers and beauty? Would you be able to trust the words of a girl so utterly unhinged?"

"If she is as mentally unstable as you suggest, then why keep her in the school? Why keep her around students if she's such a danger?"

"...What else am I to do? At this point, I would not be surprised if news of the girl's powers have spread across the various continents and inevitably found its way to _Her. _Releasing Kirakishou to the outside world would only see the girl captured and turned into a future adversary. Or killed."

He frowned at the revelation. It was a distinct possibility that the girl would indeed be captured the moment she set foot out of Beacon. Salem had agents everywhere. Whilst Kirakishou's dolls weren't flawless copies of the original, they possessed _some_ memories and were clearly capable of holding their own against experienced fighters. If such a power found its way into Salem's clutches there was no doubt in his mind that the witch would use it to expand her network of spies.

"...I see."

Ozpin chuckled. It was a low, empty laugh devoid of humour. The laugh of a man who has been through the worst.

"Now you understand my conundrum."

Loathe as he would admit, he did. To be trapped with a dilemma in which all possible outcomes inevitably end in failure was a particular speciality of the Schnee Dust Company's current CEO- Jacques Schnee. It was how the man had managed to manoeuvre himself into such a precarious position and establish a monopoly on the world's dust mines in such a short period of time.

"...You may need to hire a guarded force to oversee her house arrest." Ironwood suggested, frowning thoughtfully. "It is highly unlikely that-"

"Don't bother." Ozpin interrupted, shaking his head. James frowned at the man, even as the silver-haired headmaster gave off a bitter chuckle. "...When I sent Glynda to apprehend Kirakishou, she cooperated without incident. From what Glynda reported, she seemed to find it to be an amusing prospect. I already have two guards outside her room. They will suffice for the meantime, provided Kirakishou continues to play nice."

For a while, the two headmasters sat there in silence. One in soft contemplation, the other stewing in annoyance.

"There is also the added advantage in that Kirakishou appears rather enamoured with your potential Silver-Eyed Warrior." he eventually gained the will to speak up once more. "If the two are together _and_ your allies, it would open up the possibility of using both of their powers in your favour."

"...It is an appealing possibility. But can it be done? Ruby is but a child. There is no knowing when, if at all, her silver eyes will activate. Kirakishou appears unstable at the best of times. Ruby is her sole supporter."

This was the moment. Ever since he had heard about Summer Rose's resurrection on the journey to Vale, James had been waiting for the precise moment in order to spring this idea upon the wizened old headmaster.

"There is another way." he begun, carefully. Ozpin's eyes darted to him, narrowing ever so slightly at the tone. "As you are aware, Amber's condition has begun to deteriorate over the past few weeks despite our best efforts. We will need to find a new Maiden soon, lest her powers seek the piece stolen by her assailant."

Ozpin stared at him. "...You're suggesting that _Ruby_ be the one to receive her powers, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"...A Silver-Eyed Warrior has never naturally received the powers of a Maiden before. We have no way of knowing the possible outcomes were we to attempt such a complicated procedure. The transfer of aura could end up killing her and, in doing so, both deprive us of a possible Silver-Eyed Warrior and enrage a being of unknown power. It is too risky."

Frustration rapidly mounted within his mind, only mellowed by countless years of expertise in countering browbeating by now-former subordinates.

"I am aware." James allowed, being sure to keep his gaze on his fellow headmaster. "And yet, we find ourselves in a situation where _She_ is changing the battlefield. For the first time in history, a maiden has been attacked by one of _Her_ associates and their power successfully harvested, albeit partially. We cannot afford to remain complacent. Drastic measures must be taken."

The other headmaster was still for a long while after that, the only signs of movement being the rise and fall of his chest. James allowed the moment to stretch on, content to allow the man to take the time to think about his offer instead of demanding a conclusion.

A small morbid side of him wondered what was going through the man's head. To live for eons, watching as a single adversary constantly chipped away at everything he held close to his heart. To see friends and lovers pass on, endlessly. What kind of soul could hope to withstand such grief and still possess the will to fight?

It was a horrid thing to imagine. James could only hope that grief hadn't clouded his judgement in the more short-term actions.

Would a person in such a situation not wish for things to end once and for all, no matter the cost?

"...You're right." he answered, voice soft. "However, it is far too early to consider such drastic measures. For now, it would be in our best interests to allow Summer's daughter to grieve. We all know the dangers of an emotionally unstable Maiden. Meanwhile, we can continue to consider the proper actions to take in the future. Qrow is due for arrival soon enough and I suspect we will have much to discuss."

James possessed the intuition to understand a dismissal for what it was. The subject of the Maidens themselves had always been an intimate topic for Ozpin and the Silver-Eyed Warriors were of a similar page. However, with Amber's deteriorating condition there was now a time limit to such patient manoeuvres.

The only small concession revolved around the fact that Ozpin had not outright denied the possibility of utilising the girls in their vision for the future.

He would allow the young Miss Rose to grieve. When it was deemed suitable, he would represent the matter to Ironwood and get the ball rolling. With any luck, they would be able to bring the war to Salem and finally end this horrific stalemate.

Meanwhile, they had far greater issues to deal with.

* * *

Kirakishou lay deep within her N-Field, suspended by vines as she gazed up into the darkness that surrounded her viewing room. Ripples of space floated around her like stars in a grand night sky, depicting the various humans and faunus held within range of her field. Kirakishou's eye focused on a singular tear in the N-Field, displaying her Master's father and sister explaining the death of the 'fake' Summer Rose as Ruby lay there in shock as tears continued to trickle down her face.

She wished nothing more than to be there to clean her beloved Rose, to lap up her tears and hold the young huntress close to her artificial body.

_My beautiful little Rose. I feel your grief, even from so very far away. Even here you reach me with your pain. Know that we shall never part. _

Were it not for her actions, there would be a notable increase in grimm activity surrounding Beacon Academy during the time that Summer's death was revealed. Yet Kirakishou would not allow the disgusting beasts to experience the sensation of her beloved's pure emotions, even the emotions of which most would prefer to be without.

In the end, they were still the emotions of her beloved master. They were _hers_. By right of the Rozen Maiden contract.

_...I can only wonder how your own N-Field must be affected by this, Ruby… If I journeyed deep into your soul, would I still find the rain? Or would a great storm have been stirred deep within? Bound as tightly as you are to the N-Field at this stage, you must be able to sense it._

_Rest assured that her tomb shall never be disturbed by outsiders, empty as it may be for now. _

_You needn't worry, my love. You needn't care for them. You have me. In the end, you'll always have me. They are nothing but dolls for us to play with when we feel like it. They can't hurt you. Nothing will hurt you. I won't let it. _

Idly, she felt her connection to Yang Xiao Long snap under the weight of the girl's rage. The most likely cause being the girl's discovery that Kirakishou had been the one behind the resurrection of the Summer doll. Yet another reaction caused by the interference of the outsider. The adversary. He whom would seek to attack her beloved master, just to get close to Kirakishou herself.

Laplace no ma. Or, in the language of Remnant, '_Laplace's Demon_'.

Unfortunate.

Even _if_ the older sister of her beloved rose _had_ managed to temporarily free herself from Kirakishou's manipulations, unknowingly or not, it was of little consequence to the plans of the pure Rozen Maiden. She had accomplished what she had set out to accomplish with the little blonde doll.

Ruby belonged to her now- there were a choice few whom could claim a degree of familiarity with the little reaper, barring herself. Now her beloved rose was forging her own connections to others with her _own_ N-Field, including superseding Kirakishou's connection to Yang following her emotional breakdown. Under Kirakishou's watchful eye, Ruby would spread her influence far and wide as she ensnared as many little dolls as she desired.

_Yes… Let me guide you, little rose. A budding seedling needs plenty of nurture… _

Then, when the time came, Kirakishou would swoop in and ensure that they could both play with the dolls together.

_Forever._

All that she needed to do was move the other pieces. Laplace-no-ma had affected a great many of her dolls, but she still had more to play with. Many souls were bound within Beacon Academy, whether they be sleeping peacefully or plotting its downfall- it mattered not. They were nearby and, thus, malleable to an extent.

Plus, Vale was right around the corner. From what she could understand by the whispers of anticipation held within the newest additions to her garden, the upcoming Vytal Festival would draw a great many outsiders to the city of Vale and, thus, her N-Field. Kirakishou wondered if there would be any particular dolls that would interest her beloved. If not, they would in the very least suffice as fertiliser for her garden. Or perhaps would become dreamers of her own.

"_I love you, Ruby Rose." _she whispered, giggling to herself. _"Be mine, Ruby Rose. Stay with me. Play with me. Here. Let me show you. Let me show you everything..." _

One day, Ruby would hear her words.

For the meantime Kirakishou slid her attention away from the ripple showing Ruby's hospital room, content in the knowledge that the girl's chosen dolls would be sufficient in nurturing the little reaper back to a degree of stability.

_What is it that they say? Absence makes the heart grow fonder? Humans are strange creatures, but they do have some interesting proverbs. They must have some redeeming qualities to have created the likes of Ruby, after all. Oh, Ruby..._

She would suffer without her beloved for a fleeting moment. For now, there was work to be done that required her absolute concentration.

The N-Field, whilst an invariably beneficial tool during the events of the Alice Game perpetuated by both Father and her beloved sisters, held uses outside of the accursed game itself. During the years immediately following her birth and subsequent entrapment inside of the odd little plane of unconsciousness, she had learnt that direct actions within the N-Field went largely unnoticed by the denizens of the waking world.

Following Kirakishou's initial quest to gain an artificial body through the alternate version of Jun Sakurada, she had made use of this peculiar facet to a great degree by wrapping her imperceptible vines around his physical form and directing him to craft a new body for her using the parts that she had gathered from playing with Souseiseki empty body.

When she had first discovered this quirk regarding her unique ability, Kirakishou had loathed the fact that none witnessed her actions. However, when she had first managed to break into the real world and meet with one of her sisters, Kirakishou had soon realised that there were times in which it was fruitful to remain unseen and unheard lest those with hostile intentions seek to damage her pure form.

_...Thank you, my Black Rose Sister, for teaching me this fact. If I ever see you again, I will hold you so tightly within the petals of my rose that you will never be able to speak your mean words, let alone leave me. _

She smiled, idly rubbing a nearby vine with a free hand. It was a calming motion that she would do when she was initially trapped within the N-Field without anybody to hold her. Now that she was temporarily without the bliss of Ruby's physical presence, the act would once again have to suffice.

Directing her vision, she _pushed_ with her power, actively seeking a specific tear within the waking world and within the confines of some of her other playthings. These particular little dolls had been quite mean to her recently and whilst she would desire nothing more than to either turn them to junk or add them to her garden and simply be done with it, they had a role to play in the upcoming events.

"_Little Jade Doll. Little Empty Doll. It's time to play again." _Kirakishou giggled to herself, threading vines through the ripple of reality. "_This time, however, you both are so very far from my beloved. You cannot hurt her body now. It's time to pay me back for your disservice."_

* * *

"...She knew my dad."

Cinder raised a delicate eyebrow at the small voice coming from the esteemed son of Marcus Black. She had been waiting some time for the boy to speak about the fight, in which she had heard that the assassin had been soundly defeated by an up-and-coming prodigy and some 'crazed flower girl' of some kind.

Having to resort to chatting with the locals of Beacon Academy had _not_ been an entertaining prospect. It would seem that none would give her a straight answer regarding the fight. Whilst she waited for the auras of Emerald and Mercury to repair their damaged vocal cords, she had been forced to endure a seemingly endless tirade of half-truths and awed wonder from a bunch of hormone addled teenagers that were clearly too busy worrying about sucking face than their own studies.

It was _fucking horrible_.

"...Are you completely certain?" she pressed.

The idea of a young woman in the middle of Beacon Academy _just so happening _to be familiar with a prestigious assassin whilst the man's own killer and son was attending was nothing short of alarming to the half-maiden. It would explain why Mercury had came out so injured during what she had understood to be a simple observatory sparring match to gain admission into the Vytal Festival tournament.

Could the girl be seeking to avenge Marcus Black's death?

"She spoke the exact words that he did, moments before he bled to death." Mercury deadpanned from his position on the ground. He was attempting some flawed version of push-ups, though Cinder decided not to correct the boy on his movements in favour of the _fucking bombshell _he had just dropped in her lap.

Having been staked out and witnessing Mercury's fight with his father, she knew that there were only three living people in the world that had knowledge of the event that had lead to Marcus' defeat at the hands of his son. They were all sitting in this room.

Cinder Fall.

Emerald Sustrai.

And, of course, Mercury Black himself.

Only the latter had been in close enough proximity to hear spoken words. There had been no others to witness the event. Thus, provided that Mercury hadn't told the phrase to others, it implied that Mercury's opponent had somehow overheard the event _and _managed to elude them entirely.

Which meant that this completely random Beacon Student, whom hadn't even shown up on the list of students given to her by Lionheart and was thus a late addition to the roster, may be aware of their true intentions.

"...Shit."

Emerald looked at her with worried eyes, distinctly reminiscent of a timid little puppy, yet remained thankfully silent and obedient to a degree. It was rather sickening.

"_Yup._" Mercury muttered with a grunt, concluding his exercise and propping himself up against the bed frame. "Which _probably _means she somehow saw the fight with my dad, because I sure as fuck haven't said a damn word about that day since it happened. Dead old dad kept no journals for her to uncover, so that idea is out too. How in the hell she managed to hide in the middle of an empty field in broad daylight is anybody's guess."

She turned to Emerald, who noticeably perked up at the attention.

"...Did a similar event occur for you as well?"

The teal-haired girl shook her head. "N-No, ma'm. Although, that may be because she seemed to be specifically targeting Mercury at the time. Prior to the incident that set her off, it was simple banter. Nothing more."

"And what exactly was it that '_set her off_' in your words?" she requested, narrowing her eyes.

Surprisingly, it was Mercury that responded. "...I was up against her teammate at the time, the little girl that stopped Torchwick's dust robbery the night before orientation. Ruby Rose. Blondie's vines were getting in the way, so I sent a homing round towards her, but the little girl jumped in the way of the shot and took the hit. Ended up completely exhausting her aura." he explained, frowning.

Cinder gave a wry smirk. Trust in a Beacon student to sacrifice themselves for a pointless endeavour and pay the price. What was the phrase again? No good dead goes unpunished?

"Pissed off blondie something fierce." Mercury continued. "Next thing I know it, everything goes to shit. Girl summons some little ball of light that rips a fucking hole in the air and generates this giant rose to protect the little girl's unconscious body. Right after that, she starts shrugging off volleys weapons-grade dust like it's going out of style. Turns out her semblance isn't limited to just vines like I'd thought at the time. Seems like a whole repertoire of abilities. Like a Schnee semblance, but dialled up to eleven."

"Kirakishou went after me first. That's her name, by the way." Emerald supplied at her inquisitive look, the thief idly rubbing her bruised neck. "In an instant she was on me, wrapping her hands around my neck. I could feel my aura creaking from the strain. I couldn't move. Couldn't scream at the _fucking proctor _that I wanted to forfeit. There wasn't anything I could do to stop her. I felt completely and utterly helpless in her hands."

Cinder raised a brow. It wasn't like Emerald to simply _give up_, even if she had been drawn into an impromptu couples match.

The woman blushed under her scrutiny. "I _tried _to get out of it. Got her a few good times with my blade, but it didn't even scratch her aura. Before I knew it, my own aura had snapped and I'd passed out. I thought I was going to die. I… don't know what happened after that." she bowed her head in submission, looking ashamed.

Mercury snorted, wincing slightly from the pain of the action on his healing throat. "She threw you aside like a damn ragdoll is what happened." he admitted, not affected in the slightest under the girl's embarrassed red-eyed glare. "What? I'm not lying. Get over yourself, Emmie. She wasn't that interested in you. She was pissed at me for hurting her little girlfriend, that's all. Not like she'd ruin the match by actually offing you. You had nothing to fear."

"You tell yourself that when a psycho blonde is choking you unconscious in front of a hundred witnesses with a smile on her face." Emerald shot back. "Oh, right." she winced under Cinder's demanding gaze. "The girl's apparently known for being a bit crazy. Least that's what the rumours say about her. Most of the people who know her keep a fair distance away. Likes to rave about flowers and dolls, or just act plain creepy."

Cinder briefly regarded the teal-haired girl with a queer look. Half the staff and a fair amount of the students could be considered mentally unhinged. That was nothing out of the ordinary in this messed up academy for gun-crazed lunatics.

"And what happened once Emerald was knocked unconscious?" she inquired.

The assassin gave a lighthearted shrug. "Not much to say. 'Bout the same thing happened to me as well. Tried to fight her. Got caught. Got choked. Game over. Though in my case Goodwitch arrived in time before she could finish the job. Managed to stay conscious long enough to see the girl tell her little ball of light thingy to buzz off, before she stormed out of the hall. Didn't even spare a glance at her teammate."

"Rather curious behaviour." Cinder noted.

Coupled with the information she had managed to squeeze out of the rumours, Mercury and Emerald's retelling of the fight implied a great many things about their main adversary in the fight; this 'Kirakishou' girl. Unusually high aura reserves for a student, deranged behaviour and a notable lack of the pretentious pride common in most high-class prestigious students created a profile that wouldn't have been accepted into Beacon Academy without some manner of intervention on the headmaster's part. Likely due to the properties of her unique semblance.

It was the only logical explanation for the presence of such a character within Beacon Academy.

Her comment to Mercury regarding the boy's dead father implied a knowledge of their activities to some degree, yet she hadn't attempted to interfere with their plans in any notable manner. Instead, she had lashed out solely after her partner was injured in a common sparring match. Only then did Kirakishou decide to personally step in and reveal her knowledge.

But _why_? A bargaining chip? _Injure my partner and I reveal your secrets? _It made no sense. Even if she did follow through with such a threat, it wouldn't matter. Nobody trusted her. All it would take would be one scroll call to Lionheart and the matter would be resolved.

Was it for sheer sadistic glee? Enrage Mercury into a mistake? If so, then why wait so long to reveal it? From what Cinder understood of the strength of the girl's aura, there was no point in enraging an opponent that could be easily defeated regardless?

Quite the conundrum. However, when boiled down to its most basic properties the girl's reasoning behind her verbal assault did not matter.

_She knows about Mercury's past and, possibly, our involvement. She has to go. _

"...What should we do, ma'm?" Emerald inquired gently, peering at her with those big round eyes as if Cinder would break apart without her soft words. Were it not for the usefulness of keeping the red-eyed girl docile, she would have stamped out such behaviour years ago.

"Contact Torchwick. We will be needing some of the dust he's gathered."

* * *

**A/N: **

FFN has been a bit funky recently, so I was forced to reupload this chapter. Hopefully it works this time.

I was about halfway through a chapter before changing my mind and redoing it from scratch. It was... _rough._ But in the end it's all done and I get to post another chapter. So, happy days. Feel free to leave a review and tell me what you all thought! I've been waiting to be able to write Qrow for the longest time. Can't wait!


	21. Chapter 21

"..._Weiss Schnee. Blake Belladonna. _Please. Come inside my room, you have nothing to fear here."

The two fellow RWBY members glanced at each other worriedly, even as Kirakishou levelled one of her better smiles in their direction. From their human compositions it was rather late at night for a meeting, judging by the two wearing what Kirakishou assumed to be their night wear. She had known the time would come where the two girls approached her and felt that a beautiful display would set their minds at ease.

A shame that they had interrupted her play time.

Kirakishou had even taken the time to dress herself in her beautiful clothing in order to appease the two girls, instead of settling for her undergarments. She had toyed with the idea of revealing her doll joints, but had decided against such actions. Now was not the time. Her darling rose would grow quite upset if her two partners reacted negatively. Even deep within her N-Field, such a brash action would be difficult to rectify without Ozpin growing suspicious.

Besides, in the current condition that her N-Field was in, Kirakishou doubted she had the space to house two more strong souls before the next expansion phase. With Laplace-no-ma around and causing trouble, it would be a dangerous endeavour. Thus, it was best to simply converse with the two girls under the illusion of humanity.

Regardless of her attempts to mediate their negativity it seemed as if the two were determined to be unsettled by her very appearance. It was where her darling red rose maiden differed from most other souls; where others scorned or feared her following the display of her powers, her relationship with little Ruby had only grown ever closer.

At the current moment, it appeared as if Ruby Rose was laying unconscious on her bed, slumbering in her adorable little pyjamas. The little reaper had felt rather uncomfortable sharing her presence with anybody except for the Rozen Maiden following her bout of unconsciousness at the hands of Mercury Black and the summary explanation of Laplace-no-ma's trickery.

General James Ironwood gaining the body of Summer Rose would prove difficult to manoeuvre around, but for the meantime she would need to focus her attentions on her beloved master and the connections she was establishing.

It was a startling development in the mind of her beloved, but it was one that Kirakishou was all too willing to exploit for her own selfish desires. In the eternal Alice Game, one must learn to turn negative reactions into positive outcomes. That was the key to success. Even if the other contenders to Father's accursed dream were no longer available, the lessons she had learnt were applicable to her current situation.

Blake Belladonna was the first to enter her room, surprise radiating off her form at the sight of her slumbering team leader. Had she not known? The black rose possessed an inquisitive mind, albeit one typically aimed at uncovering the happenings of the White Fang. Surely she would have noticed the absence of her own team leader in the later hours of the evening.

Perhaps not. From her understanding, the two girls had been meeting in the dark hours of the night on a rotating schedule following their defeat of Roman Torchwick the previous week. Perhaps their nightly activities prevented them from noticing Ruby's own predicament? Hm. Had Kirakishou still remained within the confines of the N-Field, she would likely have noticed such a development prior to this reveal.

Her darling red rose was delightfully needy, wasn't she? _Hmhmhm…_ Not that there was anything wrong with that, of course.

Originally the Schnee heiress, Weiss Schnee, had found her attention drawn to the large ornate mirror that Kirakishou had drawn out of the N-Field. However, she soon found herself following her fellow teammate's gaze to the bed.

"...Is that..." Weiss gave a low whisper, a hand moving to cover the gasp that had almost escaped her throat.

Kirakishou gave a light giggle, closing the door behind her to prevent sound from escaping into the hallway. The two guards sent to keep her confined in her room had long since retired to bed following her prompting and supposed good behaviour. Whilst a shift change would occur in the next hour, it was more than enough time for her to conduct appropriate business with the two trainee huntresses.

There would be no witnesses, save for Ruby.

"My beloved red rose reaper grows disquieted without her pure maiden. She seeks comfort in my Palace of Beginnings, to escape the treachery beget by the enemy." she answered succinctly, moving to stroke Ruby's cheek in a consoling manner. From what she had uncovered, Ruby quite enjoyed the subtle nuances of a lover's touch during long periods of rest. As Kirakishou was busy entertaining guests, she hoped that her gesture would still be appreciated. "You needn't bother with keeping a level tone; she will not respond. She is far too tired."

The feline faunus continued staring at Ruby, disbelief colouring her perception. "...I cannot believe that Ruby would be so trusting of you after everything that's happened."

"Why would she not trust in her white rose? I have protected her, kept her safe and opened her up to a world that has seen fit to ignore her eccentricities in favour of false stability." Kirakishou cocked her head in confusion, before noticing the hardened looks encroaching on their faces. "...Or do you refer to the incident with her little Summer Rose?"

"...So you _do _know." Weiss hissed, eyes narrowing in cold fury. "We came to question you about that, but here you are openly admitting your actions. You _were_ involved with the Summer lookalike. You were the one who made her. Do you have any _idea_ what that's done to Ruby? To our team?"

Kirakishou glanced down at Ruby and away from the irate heiress, smiling gently at the young girl that had captured her heart so intently. She had nothing to fear inside her Palace of Beginnings, even in the world of conscious minds. Her wonderful little seedlings would provide her more than enough aura to handle any attacks should the heiress decide to become unruly.

Whether they needed to provide such nourishment to her beloved master or Kirakishou herself was left to chance. Irregardless of how the little dolls reacted to her pure self, this interaction held no danger in their current predicament.

"…One does not revive a mere empty vessel. What possible use is such a thing to a heart as forlorn as hers?" she questioned rhetorically, cupping Ruby's cheeks and giving the girl a chaste kiss on the forehead. The two girls visibly balked at the display, likely unused to such vibrant displays of intimacy. Poor wretched things.

Weiss in particular appeared three seconds from conjuring up a glyph of some kind using her semblance and attacking her in her own palace. Truly, rage was a horrid emotion. Her own experience with the emotion during several previous encounters had taught her that much in the very least.

"Then _who _was responsible? Who else could have caused all this nonsense?"

Kirakishou gave a small little titter of amusement. "Who else?" the doll shook her head, blonde locks shaking with her before she turned to stare at the heiress with her lone amber eye. "It was _Ruby." _she breathed rapturously, taking in the shock on their faces with no small amount of glee.

The two girls reacted with shock at her brazen words, as was expected at such a reveal. Following that, came the disbelief.

"What in the world are you on about?" Weiss crossed her arms, frowning. "What does Ruby have to do with all of this?"

"_Everything_." Kirakishou announced with a delighted flourish, glancing down lovingly at the unconscious reaper that lay in her bed. "It was _all_ Ruby. She was the one, the _only one_, who held onto the memory of Summer Rose. Through Ruby, a small fragment of Summer Rose still held on to life. A pure white rose like myself only used her power to create a vessel to house Summer's wayward spirit and keep her safe from those who would do her harm."

Blake was the first to piece things together, her cheeks paling considerably at the implications of her statement. "...That would imply that the doll that everyone believes is just an impostor was _actually_ Ruby's departed mother. Whom was then promptly killed. And judging by how Ruby reacted to the discovery about Summer by jumping into your bed, she knew all of this already." she accused, eyes narrowing intently.

To be blamed for the actions of her master was a quaint little thing. They were right, of course, but it was still rather odd to experience. It would be the first time she had been '_allied_' with another. Her little bout with Suiseiseki in regards to her possession of Souseiseki's body notwithstanding, of course. The twin doll had only protected her to protect Souseiseki's body, not Kirakishou's pure form. This was different. There was a unity between parties.

Sharing responsibility with her master was quite the affair.

Kirakishou gave a curt nod as she stroked Ruby's hair, keeping her lone eye focusing upon her cherished reaper. "Correct. A doll without spirit is unfinished, unfurnished. An impure act for a noble craft is a desecration of everything Father held dear. And Ruby knew all of this from the start, because I told her willingly and without pause."

Before she could continue, the Schnee heiress rounded on her faunus partner. "Hang on! You can't _seriously _be considering that she's telling the truth, right? People don't just _come back,_ Blake. That's not how it works. She has to be lying."

The ebon-haired faunus looked her way for a moment, giving her a searching look that Kirakishou returned blankly. She quite wished that the two girls would leave soon, so that she may return her attention over to her master. Whilst the conversation with the two huntresses-in-training was rather intriguing, she was growing quite bored of playing with dolls this evening- no matter how exquisite their craft.

"She has no reason to lie." Blake pointed out, eyeing Kirakishou critically. "Think about it. Following everything that's happened so far, what reason does she have to withhold any information? She wasn't even surprised that we came here tonight. Which means that she knew we were going to come and ask her about this and she _allowed us in anyway_."

The white-haired heiress looked between her faunus partner and Kirakishou, confusion dancing across her features. Originally she'd appeared ready to rebuke her partner's claims, but the downright resolve in Blake's voice had temporarily quieted her. "...What are you implying? That she did all of this for some ulterior motive?"

Blake smiled. It was a poor imitation of one of her smiles, but Kirakishou would appreciate the effort.

"She's done this, _all of this_, resurrecting Summer Rose and acting the way she did with Ruby for one reason and one reason only." Blake stated, her eyes glowing in intensity. "...She's in love with her. Infatuated, really. I doubt a single day has passed where Ruby hasn't crossed her mind. Ever since they met on the docks, I bet. She knew that we would piece this all together, but she _doesn't care_. She _just_ wants Ruby. Nothing else really matters to her in the end. That's what love does to people."

Kirakishou gave a delighted giggle, her interest in the conversation renewed as she moved her body ever so slightly to give her darling reaper room to adjust during her sleep. She opted to sit on the bedside, resting a hand over one of Ruby's legs atop the blanket whilst she diverted her sole attention to the two young trainees.

"To be bound by the brambles of love..." she murmured aloud, gazing up at the ceiling as she idly stroked her slumbering master's covered limb. "Truly, a maiden like me finds herself in the most perplexing of situations. Why, I only wish I had paid more attention to Suigintou during her romantic experience..."

Weiss stepped back in shock at the reveal, her back impacting against the wall as the heiress seemingly fought with her ability to breathe for a brief moment. Shock, was it? Disbelief?

"Everything you've done, you did it as… what? A gift? Something to make her love you?"

Kirakishou smiled. "The gift of life is a suitable offering in return for the girl who gave a pure rose a reason to live, is it not? So that she may never leave me to wilt and wither, like my lowly wayward sisters."

"...That's impossible. You couldn't possibly… Oh my oum. But… that would mean Summer Rose _was_ revived, just… in an artificial body?" the heiress questioned.

The Rozen Maiden gave a short nod, the beginnings of irritation beginning to make itself apparent in her thoughts. Honestly. How many times did she have to tell them? Interrupting her play time with her master was one thing. But to refute her? In her own palace?

"Now you see why my dearest rose yearned to return to my embrace. Nobody would believe her, were she to speak the truth in regards to Summer Rose."

Conversation with the two shell-shocked academy initiates appeared to temporarily fade, the only sound being Ruby's over-exaggerated snores and delighted sleepy murmurs whenever Kirakishou touched her. She remembered how she had responded similarly when Ruby had accosted her in her room.

"How did Ruby find out?

Kirakishou glanced up at the question that had clearly fought to escape Weiss' lips. There were tears in her beautiful little blue eyes. Trauma. Whilst the two girls had clearly approached Kirakishou's room in the hopes of gaining answers to their many questions, they were paradoxically unprepared for her words.

"...You will have to be more specific." Kirakishou answered softly, "My dear rose has discovered many truths since our bond. And yet… she has taken each blow and grown ever stronger… such a beautiful little soul..." she trailed off, feeling a delightful little weightless feeling in her chest when she thought about her bonded human.

"About _Summer_." Weiss stressed, grating her teeth. "How did she discover that Summer was a doll?"

Oh. So _that_ was what the heiress had been talking about. It made sense that Weiss would grow curious in regards to such a thing. She had likely expected Ruby to go to her team about such a matter and was likely feeling rather hurt. Understandable. A shame she hadn't came to question the aura manifestation that Kirakishou had generated during the fight with Emerald and Mercury. From what she had understood, the heiress had been quite intrigued by her power.

Such interests had paled in comparison to the reaction by her beautiful maiden of the red rose when Kirakishou had revealed the depths of her encounter with the two little cutthroats. Her beloved possessed a keen intuition for the uses of a large quantity of aura. Such ideas. She was keen to put such ideas into fruition when the time came.

For now, she would continue her moment with the two little trainee huntress, then return to her master.

"Summer revealed her artificial body during her initial confrontation with Ruby atop the docks during an emotional moment. When questioned, Summer stated that I had been the one behind it. Considering the battle raging below, the two put their differences aside and worked together against a common adversary." Kirakishou answered in a fond tone, smiling down at her beloved maiden of the red rose. "...Even when her mind is warped with uncertainties and torn by pain, she put everything aside in order to focus on protecting those she cares for. A truly fine soul."

Blake glanced down, her feline ears noticeably drooping in reminiscence of the encounter with the White Fang. That was right, she had been a member partnered alongside Adam Taurus, correct? They had possessed an intimate relationship, which had given Blake the knowledge required to piece together Kirakishou's intentions through her own experiences. A shame it had ended on a negative note. Poor little girl. It was good that Blake had a fellow soul to nurture her when her darling Rose was too busy.

"...And how did Ruby react, to finding out you were behind Summer's appearance?" Weiss continued onward, her tone noticeably pointed.

Why- Ah. She had been staring at Blake. She hadn't even noticed. Perhaps the heiress was feeling possessive over her recent partner. Kirakishou levelled an apologetic smile towards the two girls that was rebuked by harsh glares that were noticeably lacking any real fire.

"My beloved rose sought me out immediately after she was released from VPD custody. She approached my pure form, encroached upon my palace with the very core of her being, just to demand answers. I gave the information willingly."

Despite how Kirakishou would have preferred to remain in the present time, she found her mind reminiscing about the moment of Ruby's appearance. It was a weakness she had developed during her time trapped in the Palace of Beginnings. With only herself, too fragile to venture out into the waking world, she had possessed only her memories of her birth. Reliving said memories had been an experience in agony and despair.

Yet to remember how exactly her beloved rose had approached her pure form… they brought with them another emotion, one far greater than anything Father or even Jun had managed to conjure.

"_...You… You're a doll too..." _

"_Of course I'd come check up on you, you goof. I promised I'd be there for you, didn't I?"_

She remembered how Ruby had correctly deduced her reasoning for resurrecting Summer, as Blake just had. Love. Abandonment. Infatuation. Loneliness. Each two sides of the same coin, endlessly rotating for most. Kirakishou had experienced the worst that life had to offer for the longest time and had desired to _finally_ experience something positive. To turn the world in her favour.

And Ruby?

"_I'm not going to leave you, Kira. I'm not going to choose anyone else. I'm here. Right now in this very moment. With you and you alone. And I wouldn't ever want to be anywhere else." _

Ruby had understood.

Tears trailed down her cheek, flowing from her lone amber eye. Sniffles escaped her. Yet these were happy tears. Happy sniffles. Because, _finally_, after so very long… she wasn't alone anymore. The world was hers. Ruby was hers. Bound together. Rozen Maiden and Silver-Eyed Warrior, by the power vested within the Rozen Maiden contract.

When the heiress' voice came once more, as she knew it would, her tone was noticeably subdued and lacking in fury.

"...And what exactly happened following your revelation? What did Ruby do?"

Was the Schnee heiress that conflicted? Kirakishou burbled out a wet laugh amongst her tears.

"She kissed me."

* * *

Kirakishou watched as the two girls departed from her room in the middle of the night, her lone eye trailing their departure long after she had closed the door and bid them their farewells; a feat made possible only through the powers she had gained over her command of the N-Field.

The N-Field was a versatile utility, she mused. Following the partners of her master was most certainly within the realm of possibility, considering how long the girls had spent immersed so deep within her Palace of Beginnings. It was quite amusing how two simple humans could encroach upon her most treasured location without a contract to a Rozen Maiden, without even realising it no less.

With the veil between the waking world and her own N-Field being so very thin following the blanket of darling souls she had gathered, Kirakishou had wondered if the two would be able to see her room for what it was. In the end, her concerns had been for naught. Both Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna had been far too occupied with her words to see the terrain around them for what it truly was.

Her Palace of Beginnings and her dorm room were one in the same. Were it not for their deep connection to Ruby Rose, she would have simply added them to her garden and been done with the matter once and for all.

She glanced over her shoulder and towards the bed.

"You can stop pretending to be asleep now, Ruby."

Following her proclamation, Kirakishou witnesses the little reaper's eyes open. They were ever so slightly red and there were faint tears sliding down her cheeks, indicating that Ruby had been crying during her feigned sleep.

"...Thank you." Ruby answered quietly, looking solemn as she slide back against the bed and rested her back on the bedhead. "You didn't have to… do all that. Say all those things. They don't deserve to know."

Kirakishou cocked her head to the side, placing her palms on her cheeks in a decidedly cute gesture that had, once upon a time, captured the heart of the red rose reaper currently resting upon her bed.

"Yes, I did~" she cooed, colouring slightly at the heated gaze that the young huntress-in-training sent her way. "Y-Your presence would have drawn them here, eventually. Such is the nature of a bond. A connection..."

Her beloved possessed beautiful lips.

Breathing heavily, Ruby shook her head from side to side. "...When I… When I found out about mom, I was devastated. I _knew_ what happened. Someone had figured out what mom had become, what you'd turned her into and… and they _killed her_. I don't know what's worse, the chance that my dad may have killed my mom or that somebody else managed to sneak into the house and kill her."

Kirakishou remained silent as she watched the young rose go through her feelings. Contrary to what she may have lead both Weiss and Blake to believe, Ruby hadn't spoken much following the incident at the infirmary. Whilst Kirakishou's N-Field bolstering their bond had much such things irrelevant, she knew that the only way her beloved could push forward was by speaking about the matter to somebody.

When she had first arrived in the world of Remnant, she had taken a chance and spoken aloud to Ruby of her outrage and grief following the Alice Game. Ruby had consoled her. Given her a purpose once more.

She would do the same for her rose. After all, it was through the actions of her Father that had ultimately resulted in Ruby feeling this way. It was only fair. Their bond would grow ever stronger, in spite of the actions of Laplace-no-ma.

"...They put me under. Knocked me out." Ruby continued, whispering. "Everything went hazy. When I woke up, Yang and Dad there to try and explain things. But they didn't understand what had happened. They wanted me to realise that I shouldn't be sad over a _fake_." she choked out a sob. "All of this, because somebody decided to attack my mother the moment something went wrong instead of _asking her about it_."

She went to move towards the bed and comfort her beloved rose, only to be met halfway with a semblance-empowered shove that had her slamming up against the wooden door. Reacting quickly, she lessened the connection of the dorm room with the outside world, preventing any sounds from escaping and alerting the guards outside. They were her dolls, yes, but even her deft manipulations had their limits.

Ruby was upon her in an instant, nimble hands grasping her wrists and pushing her fiercely against the door in a rudimentary binding. With their bodies in such a close proximity, she could feel the heat radiating off her beloved, likely amplified by the blanket that had been long-since discarded following Weiss and Blake's departure.

"And then _you were here_. Alone in your room. You didn't come to see me. You didn't wait for me to wake up."

Blinking in confusion at the sudden change in tone, Kirakishou went to retort. "Darling… There were too many minds. Too many witnesses. You know I would have if I could-"

"_I know!_" Ruby shook her head frantically, tears in her eyes. "Because I _know you_. You resurrected my own mom for me, just to make me smile. To make me l-_love you_. You've done everything you can just to make me happy. To be happy _with_ me, despite all the craziness happening in my life and all the classes and...- And... And those… those _fucking morons LOCKED YOU UP!" _

Kirakishou went to investigate her beloved's emotions through their bond, only to find a whirlpool of loathing, passion and envy swirling tightly around her core. They appeared to be extending outwards, towards other souls that had loosely connected with her beloved's slowly-growing N-Field.

The one pulsing the strongest, however, was the one tied with the Rozen Maiden contract. _Their bond_.

"...But I'm _here_. You're here. With me." she answered succinctly, trying to understand what was ailing her master so terribly. "...Why does it matter how we arrived here?"

Ruby's hands tightened ever so slightly against her own wrists.

"You shouldn't _be_ locked up, Kira! You shouldn't be criticised for every little thing you do. That's not how it works! It's not your fault you are the way you are. You're just trying to be yourself. To live your own life. So _what_ if you made mom into a Rozen Maiden? Why does it matter to them?! What right do they have to lock you away from the world?! They were supposed to help you! Not do _this_. It's not fair!"

...She was concerned over Kirakishou's wellbeing? Warmth found itself flooding to her cheeks at the thought. There wasn't any reason to be upset for her. A pure rose will not allow such weak little dolls to impede her grand movements, even if said dolls were acting in such a manner due to the wayward actions of her father's little enigmatic sycophant.

"You needn't concern yourself with the other roses or their intent. Their actions are irrelevant. I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere, no matter what words the others say. I'm all yours, Ruby."

Following her words, Kirakishou found herself suddenly pulled forward into a tight embrace at the hands of the diminutive reaper, said girl wrapping her arms around Kirakishou's artificial frame and crying into her shoulder.

"I love you, you know." Ruby's words are shaky, muffled by Kirakishou's dress, yet the doll hears the words with ease. The little reaper pulled back from the embrace, as Kirakishou finds herself reluctant to allow the girl to move away. "I'd been meaning to say it before all this happened, but I was too nervous. I'm not going to let them just lock you away. Guess we're both… hm… how did you put it again? Bound by the brambles of love? Oum, you have the silliest way of phrasing things, but I have to admit I liked that one..."

Kirakishou giggles at the teasing, despite the turmoil rushing through her inner self. From the faint wetness she could sense on her cheeks, some time in the middle of Ruby's declaration she had begun to cry as well. To have her rose speak her own words was… remarkably pleasurable in a certain sense. She moves to wipe away the tears from her cheeks, only for her beloved to do it for her.

Following everything that has occurred, Ruby loves her.

She is loved. A lowly little rose like her, possesses a master that loves her above all else.

_Oh Father. I wonder what you would say, if you heard the news? Your seventh little daughter, whom you saw fit to lock away, has discovered love… Would you be happy? Hm… It doesn't much matter what you think, does it? Ruby's mine. Not yours. All mine… _

_Mine mine mine. _

_As am I hers. _

"...S-So we are." Kirakishou answers, feeling uncharacteristically shy in front of her darling rose's deft attentions. A quick moment of indecision passes through her before she steels her nerves and pulls Ruby close to her. Their lips meet in a soft kiss. She feels Ruby freeze at the sudden unexpected moment, before melting into the embrace and gripping the back of Kirakishou's dress in a decidedly needy manner. Kirakishou feels the young trainee huntress grinding against her body, pressing the soft fabric of her ruffled dress against Ruby's cute pyjamas.

It was not their first kiss. It would undoubtedly not be their last, not if Kirakishou had anything to say about it. Yet there was something special about that particular exchange. A kiss to reaffirm their connection, perhaps?

"...Know that you are loved by this little doll, Ruby Rose." she answered, before giggling at the embarrassed blush that soon appeared on her little reaper's tear-stained cheeks. It felt so very satisfying to admit the true depths of her feelings for the girl, limited as she was by the constraints of Remnant's native language. Her darling rose may have acquired the ability to speak the languages of Kirakishou's original world, but she felt the words were owed to be spoken in Ruby's native tongue.

In an instant, to borrow a phrase from the memories of her seedbed, it was as if the tables had turned. Her darling rose, which had previously displayed such confidence in her actions, suddenly became demure and fidgety under her longing amber gaze. "Y-You do..? You love me?"

Kirakishou pushed forward, resting her forehead against the young girl in a display of intimacy. Her hands slid and held onto Ruby's shoulders, pulling the girl close. She could feel Ruby's breath against her artificial skin, panting heavily in response to a quickened pulse.

"Of course. I have loved you from the very moment you vowed to be by my side. My heart became yours the instant you chose to connect with a broken little doll who had lost to her elder sisters, to the world of others. Because you _understood me. _Because, in the end, _we're the same. _For you, I would remake the world. I would change the past and correct the present. Just to have you here, with me."

The blonde Rozen Maiden leant forward once more as her gaze slipped to Ruby's lips that had parted following her words, her intent made obvious to the quickly-reddening little reaper. Her emotions were racing through her artificial body and she was having trouble controlling her actions, but she didn't let that stop her. She _wouldn't _ever allow such a thing to impede her desires.

It would appear that her darling little reaper agreed with her musings on that matter. Because, this time, Ruby seemed to crave far more than a little peck on the lips.

* * *

Weiss and Blake stalked through the halls, thoughts weighing heavily on their minds following their encounter with Kirakishou and Ruby. Whilst their team leader had been noticeably unconscious for the entirety of the conversation, her mere presence in the bed of the woman behind several recent events had been damning enough.

They passed the door to their own dorm room, continuing down the hall and walking down the several flights of stairs. Whilst the elevator was operational at the time, it was rather loud and more than a few noise complaints had arrived from students using the elevator in the middle of the night, prompting that ghastly elevator music to wake up the poor souls unlucky enough to have a dorm room close to the elevator. It had soon become an unspoken rule to simply use the stairs during the evening if at all necessary.

"...I didn't expect to see Ruby there." Weiss' voice was quiet and noticeably subdued. Blake had to strain her ears to understand the muttered words for what they were; lost and uncertain.

"Neither." Blake responded, walking down the stairs beside the heiress. "Following everything that's occurred, I'd have expected Ruby to react… differently. But just seeing her there. It was nothing like how I would have thought that Ruby would react to the news. She seemed almost..."

"Happy." the Schnee heiress finished for her when she had trailed off. "...It's revealed that her mother that was miraculously revived was not only a duplicate, but one that was promptly killed off and she goes right into the arms of the girl behind it all. Why? Because she _knew_, the whole time, that the 'impostor' truly was Summer Rose. Merely placed in an artificial body created by Kirakishou. As impossible as that sounds." Weiss recapped, before shaking her head. "...Yet with all of this happening, she still goes and sleeps in the girl's room, over the dorm room with her own _teammates_. It doesn't make any sense. There _HAS _to be some small part of her that wonders if the doll truly _was_ Summer. If Kirakishou is just lying to her out of some deluded fantasy to acquire her heart."

Blake gave a nonchalant shrug, shivering slightly from the rush of cool air that greeted her. By the time that Weiss had finished her little recap, the duo had made their way down the staircase and out of the entry hall for the dorm rooms. The Beacon Academy courtyard was a beautiful place at night, yet there was an awful wind this night, it seemed.

"...I doubt she's even thought about the possibility. If Kirakishou truly _did_ resurrect Summer like she said, then it's pretty obvious what Ruby must be thinking at the moment."

Weiss gave a curt nod. They had decided _not_ to bring it up at the time, especially with Ruby in the same room. Buying into the blonde's recounting of Ruby's apparent decisions was one thing, but speaking about it to a crazed girl with a seemingly astronomical amount of aura is likely to end poorly.

Not to mention that she got the impression that Kirakishou had only been speaking to them truthfully because, as Blake said, she had no reason _not to do so_.

"You're suggesting that, even with everything that is happening… with Kirakishou being placed under house arrest _and_ the uncertainty surrounding her, Ruby would still reach out to her in the hopes that she would bring back her mother?"

It was an odd avenue for their team leader to take following her recent developments in the area of strategy. The idea alone seemed dangerously reckless, let alone astronomically stupid.

Blake shrugged. "She did it the first time. Think about it. You're a young girl, you've lived most of your life following a traumatic death in the family only to grow close with a woman capable of bringing your mother back from the dead. How would you act? How far would you go in the pursuit of love?"

The heiress looked down, biting her bottom lip in contemplation as she went through the narrative that her fellow partner had suggested. Whilst both of her parents were alive, there had been a great many people that Weiss had known that had been executed or murdered over various incidents in the past. She had been quite close with a fair few of them, as Blake could attest to considering their odd shared memory incident a few weeks ago.

To grow up with a major family member dead, however? She could only imagine the horrors that her team leader had been forced to endure. Even with her big sister Yang there to support her, it was clear that the girl would have suffered.

"...If there was a chance that she could bring someone close to me, someone I'd once loved to the degree you're describing, back from the dead?" Weiss asked herself aloud, regarding the question thoughtfully. "Why, I would probably do just about anything, just for the possibility of bringing them back."

"Throw in the fact that the two girls are obviously sweethearts and Kirakishou is most certainly batshit insane and you have a steaming crockpot just ready to explode." Blake responded dryly, sighing heavily. "With Beacon officials somehow discovering that Kirakishou was involved in creating Summer, impostor or not, and then choosing to place her under house arrest instead of an _actual_ arrest? Well. That's _not_ standard operating procedure, if you know what I mean. Something else is going on behind the scenes."

Weiss nodded agreeably. She had witnessed similar shady dealing in Atlas. Certain wrongdoers had been pardoned in exchange for service in the Atlesian Military under General Ironwood's rule, under the behest of the council. Many a time had she been forced to listen to her father rant about such things.

To think she had once assumed Vale would be any different.

"Well I-"

"_There _you two are!"

A familiar blonde brawler came running towards them in the dead of night, clad only in her pyjamas and gauntlets. Weiss blinked in confusion at the sight, before glancing down at her scroll to notice that they had long since passed the scheduled meet up time in lieu of both their longer-than-expected conversation with Kirakishou and subsequent revelations.

"So how'd it go?"

Blake and Weiss traded glances, discomfort apparent on their faces. Yang being the social butterfly that she is, caught on immediately and her eyes quickly hardened.

"W-Well..." Weiss began, wringing her hands nervously. "...You may wish to sit down. Things are… not so clear cut as we first believed."

Yang crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at the soft tone. "I'm not some delicate little girl you know, Weiss. You _really _don't have to skirt around things with me. Please, just tell it all to me straight. Did you two manage to squeeze any information out of Kira or what?"

Blake gave a sarcastic chuckle that sounded more than a little tired.

"Oh, you have _no _idea. She was more than forthcoming..."

* * *

**A/N:**

Hello again! This was a fun little chapter to write. Kirakishou has a flair for dropping bombshells in a borderline casual manner.

Originally, this chapter was going to feature a lemon- as odd an spontaneous as such a scene would infer. It was to highlight the effects of the Rozen Maiden contract and Kirakishou's presence on Ruby Rose. However I found myself feeling it a little _too_ spontaneous. A little _too_ early. What do you think? Would it have been a worthwhile addition to the chapter, or seen as a bizarre reaction for a more plot-focused chapter?

For those of you who are interested in a more combat-heavy setting, eventually the story will be moving towards such. At the moment, think of everything as being set in a low simmer. There's certainly reactions taking place, but it's more preparation for the actual main event. Looking forward to posting again! Feel free to post a review, I'll be looking forward to reading them!~


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